Harry Potter and The Serpent Girl
by Alexandra Paradizo
Summary: Alternate Universe, OC. Voldemort has a daughter. As an orphan Dumbledore raised her at Hogwarts, to Bring her back into the light, but will it work? Or will Alventine slip out of Dumbledore's manipulations, and manipulate one of his own Gryffindors?
1. Prologue

Background Info: Alternate Universe, OC. No Slash.

Disclaimer: I don't own anything. Same thing applies to everything I write. Okay?

**Prologue**

Lord Voldemort never liked babies, he could never stand the younger ones crying and wailing in the orphanage when he was younger. He would force them to shut up until he could have some peace – scaring them senseless was just a bonus.

Tom Riddle was disgusted at the thought of raising a child. _Never! _It was preposterous. It was pointless. It was much easier to find a way to force this upon Albus Dumbledore, the old fool.  
He looked down at the baby in his arms – a girl – and thankfully, she was not crying. Good, girls were quieter than boys, and much more obedient.

Lord Voldemort had known that he was in dire need of an Heir. Someone with a fresh slate, someone with no history or past – someone who would fool that gullible Albus Dumbledore into letting Voldemort's blood wander freely within the castle! The castle that _was_ impenetrable.

Lord Voldemort felt the infant's magical core. It was a natural blend – of the Dark Magic of her mother, and the natural Light Magic of a human. He was slightly horrified at the conclusion that humans could only bear Light magic, no matter how Dark their parents were. He had found a way past both obstacles, which resulted into this.

Lord Voldemort let out a sly smile. The child would be a natural in Dark Magic, he mused, which would be a remarkable addition to the variables of his plan.

The name was another matter… Lord Voldemort frowned, mulling it over. He'd had nine months with that lamia to think of a name. The lamia had given birth to his child – this girl, his Heiress.  
Alventine Helting, he decided firmly. It was a rather nice name, and it was something that would spite that infuriating Dumbledore. He would not use Riddle, the name was disgusting, and too obvious.

Now, the plan to destroy the weapon against him…which one should he choose?

Another sly-like smile found its way onto the feared Dark Lord's still handsome, dark face. Dumbledore would never figure this plan out...

Lord Voldemort gave the infant to Lucius Malfoy. "Take it," he said silkily. " And Lucius, don't drop it, either. " He said lazily.

Malfoy looked alarmed at the sight of the girl. Voldemort could hear what the man was thinking, couldn't that idiot shut up? It gave a natural Leglimens a headache: _I have a son her age – they'll be in school together! My son and the Dark Lord's daughter – it's an honor.  
_  
Voldemort curled his lip as he stalked away, his robes billowing out behind him like steam from the Hogwarts Express. _You'd better believe that you're being granted an honor, you fool, _he smirked inwardly, torturing other people was entertaining, but fooling servants was a nice change. He needed to use it more often.

Tom Riddle slammed the door shut behind him with a flick of his wand, entering an empty and dusty old place. He needed to do some more... accurate planning, after he called Wormtail to clean the place up of course, how on earth could he think in such a disgusting place?

**.A.H.R.**

_Dumbledore,_  
_This is Alventine Helting. She is the daughter of someone you know quite well. Lord Voldemort has decided to make an Heir. But we found her and took her, so hope she will not be raised in the Dark Lord's care._  
_Please look after her well._

_- Regulus Black_

The ancient man stroked his beard thoughtfully, examining the note over again. The youngest Black child had become a Death Eater, then… Had he defected? He appeared to have stolen the child and brought it to Hogwarts…

_But yet again, _Albus Dumbledore mused, _this could be a ploy…  
_  
Albus stared at the child in the bundle by his feet. Her face was so innocent, so pure, so full of need and love… _This _was the offspring of malicious Lord Voldemort? Dumbledore could hardly believe it. He leaned down and picked her up in his arms.

Alventine Helting made a giggling noise, sounding very taken with Albus's tickling beard. The sound was very touching to Albus's heart, and he began to think of the shaped future. His eyes twinkled with mirth.

"Perhaps she has a chance," he murmured. "It was not her fault, after all…"

The girl was looking around in the corridor, looking very calm in this new environment, which was very unnatural among children.

_Ah…I should have guessed, _Albus sighed inwardly.

_She's a Child of Hogwarts. _ This would make things much more complicated.

"Albus, who is this?"

Albus Dumbledore's colleague and deputy, Professor McGonagall hurried over, still slightly tipsy from last night's celebrations. "Surely it isn't Harry Potter, I distinctly remember-"

"No, no, Minerva – but she may be equally important." The tall ancient Headmaster of Hogwarts said, looking down at the bundle in his arms. "Minerva, listen to me carefully. This infant's magic is half _dark_." Minerva stared at the child suspiciously. "But if taught carefully, she would be a marvelous young witch, don't you think Minerva?"

McGonagall furrowed her brow. "If you say so, Albus," she murmured uncertainly.

"Won't you, Alventine?" Albus cooed at the child. "You'll be a marvelous young witch…"

He peered at the dark haired baby playing with his beard in his arms, smiling slightly.

"Are we raising her at Hogwarts, Albus?" Minerva McGonagall had long since known not to question the Headmaster's many eccentricities, it would only make things more complicated than necessary. The Headmaster chuckled, looking grandfatherly at the young child.

"Oh, I'm afraid so my dear Professor. She had survived the test, and Hogwarts is reluctant to part with her."

Minerva seemed taken aback. _And what is that even supposed to _mean? McGonagall wondered bemusedly, wondering briefly if Dumbledore was still drunk. However, Minerva McGonagall kept her mouth wisely shut. Since when had Albus Dumbledore ever made sense?

A/N: Thanks to my Beta Reader, NewProphecy! Oh, and Review!


	2. Harry James Potter

A/N: This is a revised but not Beta-ed Chapter 1. I have made some little changes...but nothing major. I was a bit busy in the school year...so...Sorry about that!

Thank you all for putting this on alert, favoriting, reading, and reviewing! (Cookies to all!)

Familiar speak are in _"__italics__"_

Chapter 1

Harry James Potter

Harry Potter was a scrawny young ten-year-old boy. If he had glasses, the image would have been complete. But those bright green eyes shone with determination and stubbornness completely different from the boys his age. Even though he was dressed in large clothes that were caked with mud and dirt, he had a certain cheerfulness around him that went past the sorry state he was in. There were many reasons.

The main one was: Magic.

The other was a cat named Aris.

"_Why __are __we __weeding __the __pigs __garden __again__?"_ the small kitten with bright tawny fur and sharp emerald green eyes exactly like Harry's, glared at Harry from across the bush. She could not speak, but her voice echoed in his mind, comforting and silky just like her.

"_We__? __I__'__m __weeding__. __You__'__re __playing__. __Anyway__, __don__'__t __let __the __pigs __see __you__, __they__'__ll __punish __me__. __Really __Aris__, __if __you __don__'__t __want __to __stay__, __you __can __go __away__, __I__'__m __not __forcing __you __to __stay __here__."_ Harry thought in his mind, continuing to weeding the garden.

He was punished because his righteous side had come out of the dark. In other words, he had stood up to Dudley. Harry had forgotten how unreasonable Uncle Vernon was. His mistake of standing up for Jimmy and letting the Dursleys realize his existence was a week without food for three days in his room. He had only been let out of his room early because the weeds were growing again, and the Dursleys were too lazy to do it themselves.

Aris, was his cat, his familiar. She was the most perfect cat in the world, the man who had brought her to him told him she was a Chameleon Cat, and indeed, a chameleon she was. She could change her skin into a lot of things. Most of the time, her colour was a pretty tawny, but sometimes, she could match her surroundings perfectly. Once, her glossy coat had turned into a shiny metal, and she was mistaken for a statue until she changed back.

His thoughts were then rudely interrupted by said cat. "_I __want __you __to __play __with __me__. __You __are __mine__, __not __theirs__._" Harry grinned at the thought. Aris, was also very possessive for such a tiny thing.

"_I __will __grow __when __your __magic __grows__. __Unlike __you__," _Aris shot back. To tell the truth, Harry _wasn__'__t_ very tall, but Aris didn't need to rub it in.

Aris was his life and he never want her to leave him.

Her presence in his life signified a change, a change from the hell he had been through. The day when that stranger he healed his eyes with a wave of his wand, gave him Aris, his room, and a small wooden box filled with treasures.

The wooden box held his prized possessions. There was an album full of moving pictures of his parents when they were in Hogwarts, a school of magic. There were also a few of their old stuff like their textbooks and notebooks. The pictures in them _moved_, and the contents were even better than the best selling fantasy fiction in the Muggle world because they were _real_.

_"__Why __don__'__t __you __try __with __your __magic __again__? __Just __imagine __the __weeds __gone__. __I__'__ll __help__,"_ Aris settled beside him, her coat the same as her surroundings as if she were see through, and only her green eyes showed Harry she was still there.

Harry sighed and closed his eyes to concentrate.

It had worked once, but he didn't know if it would work again. He imagined the garden clean off all the nasty weeds, and himself clean, in bed…

A sudden whoosh filled his ears and Harry hoped it wasn't Aunt Petunia swinging a pan at his head.

He was in his room, his clothes free of dirt without a single drop of sweat on him. Harry grinned and peered out the window to check if all of his magic had worked.

No weeds.

Perfect.

Aris blinked her wide green eyes at him and scurried down the street, vanishing into her surroundings. She was going to hunt, and he was going to have a nice nap before Aunt Petunia discovered his little hocus pocus. There was no sense in getting beat and being tired at the same time, after all.

A/N:

REVIEW!

Since I cannot find Hi's account, I'll have to reply to your review here. I hope my other readers won't mind.

Reply: Well, he _is _a Gryffindor. Maybe he will be friends with Longbottom, maybe he won't.


	3. Hogwart's Letter

Chapter 2

_Mr. H Potter_

_The Cupboard under the Stairs_

_4 Privet Drive_

_Little Whingning_

_Surrey_

He blinked to see that he wasn't going insane. The envelope was thick and heavy, made of yellow parchment, and the address was written in emerald green ink.

Then he saw the seal.

It was the seal, like the one in the box where he kept his parents' thing, the seal of the school they went. The school of magic he had been told about by the stranger. The wonderful place where he may do magic, free from the Dursleys.

Harry shove the letter into his pocket, terrified that the Dursleys would find out, he prayed with all his might that they wouldn't notice. Harry slip into the kitchen to make breakfast, as usual.

They did, for he had no luck.

Uncle Vernon took the envelope out of Harry's hand with a swift punch to his shoulder., his face turning a lethal shade of puce. Harry was just as angry with his uncle taking his ticket to the magical world in his fat meaty hands.

"Give me back my letter!" Harry shouted, but he regretted it immediately after a blow landed on his shoulder, Harry bit his tongue and tried to wish for the letter to come to him, it had to work, he had to go to the magical world…

"Go back to your room right now!" Aunt Petunia hissed, her eyes flashing angrily.

"That's my letter!" Harry said firmly, opening his eyes to get a clearer look at the letter, but Uncle Vernon shoved him up the stairs roughly, Harry winced and he fell down the stairs, feeling his arm crack against the stairs. He bit his lip to make sure he didn't scream out in pain, his vision blurred while he was pushed upstairs.

Harry bit his lip in pain until blood came out, he tasted it and tried not to let the tears of pain fall.

HARRY! Aris shouted in his mind. Her voice was frantic, and protective.

Harry climbed back to his room, holding his broken right arm, tears running down his face. He needed to get out of here. He needed to get to Hogwarts, his parents had been there, so it must be a nice place. The stranger had also told him about Hogwarts, it was the only safe place for people like him, people with magic. It was necessary.

Harry, we must leave, they'll kill you like this, they'll murder you into little strips.

Aris cried in his mind, curling around him, her early annoyance at him completely gone as her green eyes stared straight at him.

Aris, I don't need a description of my death. Harry thought hazily, Aris nuzzled against him, and helped him out the house.

Alventine was a clever child, and not entirely human. The child of Hogwarts tasted the humid air with her tongue, wondering where the blood had come from. Her familiar Sinetis curled around her throat and hissed.

§Someone is magical here.§

Alventine nodded, for she had tastet that kind of blood, by accident, and she could distinguish the difference between a muggle's blood and a magical person's blood. It was annoying, but useful. She pulled her jacket around herself a bit more closer. Her part snake heritage meant a lot of things, and she was slightly afraid of the cold. It was just good luck that she didn't hibernate in the winter.

Remus, the DADA Professer in Hogwarts, stopped as his sensitive werewolf sense of detected blood.

"Human blood, why is there human blood here?" He asked the girl, his grey tired eyes scanning the place for any sign of the source. He turned to Alventine, who was still looking at the small park.

"Oh dear Merlin, Alventine, you've got a knack of finding odd stuff." He sighed, but when his grey eyes found the injured boy on the partly red bench he gasped.

It was Harry Potter, the son of his best dead friend.

A/N: My chapters are a bit short, sorry. Any suggestions for the title of this story? I still have no idea. Oh, yes, review!


	4. Alventine Riddle Helting

Chapter 3

Fish?

Aris was curled beside him, and she had a mouse in her mouth, her tawny head cocked to one side as she nudged him.

That's a mouse. Harry turned over, expecting his body to feel like always, bruised and painful, especially when he had broken his arm. He was on a bed, so he was probably locked in his room again. He stroked her head and stared up at the ceiling. It was made of dark wood, and a bit dusty. He wondered with a calmness that didn't seem like his where he was. It was definitely not the place where

I know. Sinetis gave it to me. He's a nice snake, snake girl can speak to me too. She and the wolf man brought you here. It's weak magic, but better than the pigs.

Who? Aris cocked her head to his side and Harry followed her gaze.

A man, with grey eyes and a tired looking expression on his face was sitting beside Harry, he smiled tiredly,

He's wolf man, he's nice, but I don't like the man with the long beard. He controls wolf man. He let me hunt in the room. Aris declared in the childish playful tone.

"Who are you?" Harry said, stroking Aris as she purred happily, curling around Harry.

"I'm Remus Lupin, Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher at Hogwarts," He indicated to the ruffled enevelope in Harry's hand. "Judging from the letter, you know about the school. You are currently in The Leaky Cauldron, the gateway from the non-magical London to Diagon Alley, the magical London." Lupin said. He had a good natured look, and Harry couldn't help trusting him. Harry seemed to know who the man was, but Aris had no idea. He looked at the crumpled letter in his hand. The one he wouldn't let go.

"Can I go to Hogwarts?" He said, his voice quavering at the thought of being rejected because he had ran away. Lupin looked stunned at this sudden question but nodded reassuringly.

"Of course you can, it's the most wonderful place in the world. You can learn magic, and play Quidditch-" He was cut off by a girl's voice.

"Remus! You'll ruin the surprise." A girl, with wavy dark hair and dark blue eyes bounced in through the door, she was dressed in quite normal clothes, but richly made, a dark blue blouse that matched her eyes and black jeans.

Then Harry noticed what Aris had been talking about, there was a snake, with scales just like the color of her eyes curled around her neck, its obsidian black eyes staring straight at Harry lazily.

That's snake girl and Sinetis. Aris said, Harry blinked at his cat.

Aris gave Harry a smile, which she classified as a Cheshire Cat smile. Harry stroked her sleek fur in return, just to sooth himself with this familiarity.

"I'm Alventine Helting, I'm starting Hogwarts this year." She walked closer, than sat on his bed. "Nice to meet you, I've lived at Hogwarts my whole life actually, and trust me, I think the first sight of the castle is one thing that you'll never forget, so don't spoil it." She said, a smile on her face. Alventine turned to Lupin with the exact same smile.

"Remus, when can we go shopping, I'd love to take him on the tour again!" She said eagerly, Remus laughed tiredly at Harry's horrified expression. He remembered he hates shopping himself.

"Shopping?" Harry asked, putting a hand on Aris to stop her from crawling onto his head. He didn't like shopping, not that he had many times to shop, he was the one who carried all the stuff while everyone shopped. It was natural for him to hate shopping.

Harry gave a small shrug as a reply, maybe they could become friends, and it would be nice to have friends that Dudley couldn't bully.

Review. Please? Chocolate cookies with sugar on top?


	5. Diagon Alley

Chapter 4 Diagon Alley

Harry gaped, and Aris leapt onto his shoulders to get a better look. He steadied her with a hand, and whirled around to take a view of everything in the vicinity.

They were in Diagon Alley and it was unlike anywhere Harry had ever been. The shops were quite unlike the malls Harry had been to but it gave him a nice warm feeling instead of the cold malls that did not radiate the warm feeling that Aris informed him was magic. Lupin seems to be telling them their schedule, but Harry couldn't tear his eyes away from the shops.

"Now, you two, be good, and Alventine, show him around, and get him the necessary items, I believe you can memorize them now, since you've accompanied nearly every student in Hogwarts to Diagon Alley." Lupin said, his eyes half joking, his grey eyes on his battered pocket watch while he groped in his pockets for something. Harry was only listening half-heartedly by now, but Alventine was nodding to his words.

"What about his Gringott's account?" Alventine asked, twirling a strand of her hair, Harry had given up on listening instead he looked around in awe at the shops filled with odd stuff, unicorn hair, snake venom, biting books...he wanted to get every one of them. His book on magical creatures looked normal compared to these books that moved. He stared at one particular book with a werewolf on the cover, he never knew that the magical world also had dangerous stuff.

"Oh, here is his key." Lupin said, Alventine nodded and gave the key to Harry, who shoved it into his pocket without another glance at the golden key, completely absorbed in the book shop window. While Lupin hurried to his work, Alventine grinned at him, her eyes full of mischievousness. They had become fast friends these days while Harry healed his arm, she wasn't like the others girl in school, she didn't talk about pretty clothes and makeup, or giggle uncontrollably like the annoying Jenny, who had been his friend before she was beaten up by Dudley.

"I think you'll love this if you like exciting stuff." She said, and led Harry to the tallest building in the alley, a marble white building which towered over the other little shops. It read, Gringotts, and it looked like the oldest building in the whole alley. Harry stared at the entrance, standing beside the bronze doors, wearing a uniform of scarlet and gold, was-

"Hello, Helmar!" Alventine said, nodding in the guard's direction, at least it was a guard, in Harry's opinion.

It was a goblin, like the ones in his book on all sorts of magical creatures and beings, the goblin ignored Alventine, but she still greeted him.

Harry watched with rapt attention as they stepped in, there were goblins everywhere, sitting on high stools behind a long counter, scribbling on pieces of parchment and measuring something Harry had never seen. Aris nuzzled him for him to follow Alventine, and finally bodily dragged him to Alventine's side. She was commentating about the bank.

"This is Gringotts, the only wizarding bank, and the best. Goblins are very clever-"She was cut off by a goblin walking towards them, and Harry bumped into his cat, who hissed at him angrily.

"You flatter us, Miss Helting." A goblin in dark robes, and intelligent black eyes, bowed at her. Alventine smiled sweetly to the goblin, and Harry continued to stare at the building from the inside.

"Master Goldclaw." Alventine nodded at him, motioning for Harry to do the same, Harry bowed obediently.

"This is Master Goldclaw, director of Gringotts. Master Goldclaw, this is Harry Potter. He's here to make a withdrawal, so I'm a bit busy today." Alventine said, sounding sincerely apologetic.

The goblin shook his head, accepting the apology with something Harry thought was a laugh.

"Work on your Gobbledegook, we'll talk when you have the some time, may your gold always flow." And he walked away. Alventine continued to commentate the nearby architecture and the workings of Gringotts after the goblin vanished into the crowd.

"He's a nice fellow, extremely clever of course. Oh, hello Griphook!" She greeted another goblin, this time dressed in the uniform that Harry saw everywhere, the goblin was relatively younger then the director but he held the same alien air around him.

"The Director asked me to take Mr. Potter and Miss Helting to their vaults." Griphook said, Alventine thanked him along with another praise at the goblins. Harry thought she was laying on it a bit thick, but the goblin accepted it easily.

"Follow me." Griphook said, and Alventine followed, pulling Harry along with them, he was too busy holding on to Aris to notice that they were heading somewhere else.

"Let's go to Mr Potter's vault first." She suggested. Griphook nodded in agreement.

"Of course."

It was like riding a roller coaster, or so Harry thought, Alventine was taking lessons on language from Griphook while Harry childishly whooped.

"Whoa." Harry gasped as they reached underground, his vault that looked like a polished cave of the treasure cave in Aladdin. (A/N: Was there a treasure cave?)

"The gold ones are Galleons," Alventine explained. "Seventeen silver Sickles to a Galleon and twenty nine Knuts to a Sickle, wizards aren't exactly logically. It suits the clever though." She said, and indicated to Griphook, who gave a toothy grin at the praise.

Griphook escorted them out after they visited Alventine's vault, which was a lot fancier than Harry's, not only containing money, but also holding all sorts of ancient artifacts that she was forbidden to touch until she came of age. The goblin bowed once again when they left the building.

"I think we need to go and buy your school robes, you would stick out a lot in school like this." She said, pointing at another shop that had caught Harry's eyes previously. She had dropped the ever flattering manner and was focusing more on their shopping now. The snake on her throat curled up and hissed into her ear.

§The wolf man is in The Leaky Cauldron already, we better hurry. §Sinetis hissed.

Harry had recently found out he was a Parselmouth, and could speak to Sinetis if he chose to. Sinetis liked this, and did it just to irritate Alventine because she couldn't understand Aris.

"We still have to get your wand and robes, I'll owl order the rest for you." Alventine said as they walked through the alley, when she got no reply, her dark eyes found his, which were glued to another shop window. Alventine looked annoyed, and Harry distinctly heard the word, 'Boys, all fanatics of Quidditch'. But Harry was too absorbed to take it as an insult. Who wouldn't want to fly on those beautiful brooms, and play a game with it?

"Those are brooms, first years aren't allowed to bring brooms yet, remember?" She said, tapping the letter in front of him to get his attention. Aris laughed at this, changing her tawny coat into a glossy grey as she followed Alventine.

Traitor. Harry said to Aris, who gave him another Cheshire Cat smile and ignored his comment.

A/N: Alventine is pronouced Al, as in Al-bus. tine is pronouced like the tin in tin can.. Al-ven-tin with an e. Review ! I'll give you a virtual Chameleon Cat! I don't really plan to update unless someone reviews though, if no one is interested in this story, I'll drop it and saved some space. All right? Good! Some info on my crazy creations.

Chameleon Cat:

This is invented by me, this kind of cats are about the same size as a lynx, but has the general build like a cheetah. It can change its coat into different colors, and eventually, their skin becomes resistant to some kinds of magic.

Arosis:

This is also invented by me, this is Sinetis' species. These snakes aren't big, because they are poisonous. But their venom isn't lethal, it leaves the victim delusional until the victim drinks the antidote. They have infrared sensitivity. They have different colors but mostly one color that are exceptionally bright, their scales are resistant to some kinds of magic, better than a Chameleon Cat, because they reflect the spell instead of just blocking it. Hence the shiny scales.


	6. Meeting the BoyWhoLived

Chapter 5 Meeting The Boy Who Lived.

Alventine Cievers Nuray Iren Auphery Kelza Helting , which was her full name, or when Dumbledore was in an odd mood, with a Riddle at the end. Oh, she knew, she knew who her father was, she knew more about Hogwarts than any person there. Alventine, had one wish, just one dream that never diminished over the years, and it was to meet her father.

She knew people said he was a Dark Lord, but the ghosts and some old portraits knew his stories, and they all said he was quite clever. She wanted to meet him and know him, to know what he was like and if it was worth it to follow his ideals. Unlike her father, she did not intimidate, she charmed her way to the things she wanted. She had plenty of experience wriggling out of trouble throughout her time in school, except for Dumbledore, and her somewhat Head of House, Julius. Alventine was an heiress of Hogwarts, the Slytherin Heiress, (no surprise) but it also meant that the Headmaster was in charge of her, and her Head of House, was her guardian. Usually, one became the guardian of the next heir of Hogwarts once one graduated. So Julius, the heir of Ravenclaw, was back in school as the assistant Professor of Remus and her guardian. Her charms never worked against Julius, who always looked faintly amused by her behavior, and Dumbledore always treats her like a child, only allowing small things that she wanted. She would have to work on Dumbledore, it was frustrating to know that she was being manipulated, without any way of revenge.

She sighed and pulled out her wand, and watched as Harry walked into Ollivander's. She had two wands, one official and registered, the other, for...personal uses.

Alventine refused to believe her father was dead. At least, that was something she was sure of.

She turned to see a blond boy looking at them, a smile appeared on her face. It didn't mean she was happy, it just meant she had something to do.

§I'm happy. Let's get some Chocolate Frogs later.§ Sinetis hissed, twirling around her arm.

§Of course.§ Alventine stroked his triangular head.

o0o0o0o0o0o

Harry and Alventine walked through the crowd with ease, but unfortunately, Harry never had too much good luck to last. In a few minutes, reporters were apparating to the front of Gringott's to a short boy with blond hair and a scar on his cheek. They were taking pictures of that boy, who was walking down the alley with a confident stride.

Harry was accidentally pushed into the reporters, and Aris hurried in after him. He was shoved to the front and the boy, not seeing a scruffy little boy in front of him, tripped over Aris.

"You will pay for that!" The boy shouted, pulling out his wand, Harry felt Aris' fury leak into himself, and dropped his apologizing demeanor. No one, absolutely, no one threatened Aris.

"I said I was sorry!" He shouted, his temper flaring. But the boy pointed his wand at Harry, Harry panicked slightly, he didn't know any magic...all he knew was that since that boy needed his wand to hurt him or Aris, he won't be having that wand much longer. Harry lunged at the wand, and wrenched it out of the boy's grasp, punching him so he was distracted in the first place. The wand slip through the boy's fingers and clattered to the ground, instead of going for the wand, the boy punched Harry on his right eye.

Alventine managed to slip through the crowd, but when she got to the front, Harry was already wrestling with that boy, the Boy-Who-Lived, Neville Longbottom. Longbottom's wand was lying forgotten on the floor, and apparently, the reporters now know who Harry was, the mass murderer's godson, Harry Potter.

Aris was helping Harry fight, and clearly Harry was winning. Alventine watched for a moment, it was always interesting to see people fighting physically, most wizards use wands, no one wanted to get their hands dirty.

But they needed to get out of here quickly.

"Need some help?" A pale pointed face young boy with white blond hair said. Alventine knew him from his father's many visits to Hogwarts, and the fact that he, like her, spent a lot of time in Diagon Alley. They were best friends, well, as best friends as one could be with a part lamia.

"Yes, Harry's in trouble, even though he's winning." Alventine pointed at Harry, Draco thought for a moment. His grey piercing eyes on Harry, who was busy on keeping Longbottom's fist away from his face.

"Harry Potter? That's hard, how will we distract the reporters?" He said, his brain in 'plotting' mode. Alventine grinned, Draco was good at plotting pranks, influenced by her of course. Lucius Malfoy had long since given up on teaching Draco pure blood manners, instead, wishing that the ruining of his heir might be enough for their Lord's little heiress to be happy.

"Let's put up some fireworks." She pulled her wand, and pointed to where Knockturn Alley was.

She hissed something in Parseltongue to increase the magic of the spell, illusions were her speciality.

The whole Alley seem to burst into fire, the reporters, eager to report something exciting, rushed towards Knockturn Alley, leaving the children behind.

Draco stowed his wand back into his robes, a smirk on his face as he pull up Harry from the unconscious Longbottom. Alventine gave him a look for him to compose himself before helping Harry up. It just wouldn't do it they were to let this boy who would fight the BWL into Dumbledore's clutches, and the first step was not smirking at him.

o0o0o0o0o0o0

"Draco Malfoy, pleasure to meet you, the reporters will be back in a second, and things won't be good with the Boy-Who-Lived unconscious." Draco said, helping the slightly bloody Harry up. Alventine led them through the many small alleys that were even more confusing then Diagon Alley, Draco followed like it was nothing that they were walking through places that didn't even look like a place to be walking in. For example, dark alleys, walls with secret passages, and even through walls.

"Where are we?" Harry asked, looking around curiously with his two black eyes, Alventine ignored him as she stared at another wall, while Draco turned to Harry with a mock look of a teacher explaining something.

"Well, I think we are somewhere in Diagon Alley." He said slowly, his face arranged into a smirk. Harry mock scowled at him in return. Aris liked Draco, so naturally, Harry couldn't hate him, Aris was usually right.

"He has no clue, Harry, really, sometimes even I get lost here, and I spend my whole summer here every year." She murmured, tapping a brick with her wand. The wall opened up again and Harry saw the familiar Leaky Cauldron.

Finally.

The reporters were finally gone, but nearly everyone was staring at Harry's bruised face and Aris.

"Why is everybody making such a fuss?" Harry complained, he got into fights with the local bullies every single day, nobody cared, it was life, try to defend the weak ones for Dudley, consequence? You get beat up. Not fight for the younger years? Well, you get targeted later because they weren't worth the whole gangs effort. Life.

"Because it's not every day the godson of the mass murderer Sirius Black gets into a fight with the symbol of Light, the Big-Headed-Wart-That-Can't-Die." Draco said sarcastically, he was a bit young for sarcasm, but hanging around with 'someone' too long does that to a person.

"You need a bigger vocabulary Draco." Alventine said, paying for their ice cream while she ate a chocolate muffin.

"Who's the Boy-Who-Lived?" Harry asked curiously, sitting down in the chair beside Draco in the little cafe.

:At least no one's staring.: Aris said helpfully, looking up at him curiously.

: Curiosity killed the cat, Aris.: Harry thought back, and the cat scowled at him. Harry thought it was quite funny that his cat had so many expressions.

:So you would be dead for asking about the Boy-Who-Lived.: She retorted, allowing Harry to scratch behind her ears. Harry chose to ignore her.

The two filled him on the basics of the wizarding world, and Alventine was careful not to give him a brainwash, it wouldn't do if Dumbledore found out about her manipulating other students. Julius would probably laugh at her ineptness, Alventine would prefer the laugh, Dumbledore was just too hard to deal with.

§Wolfy at three o' clock.§ Sinetis hissed, Alventine swiveled around. True, Remus was striding towards them.

:Wolfy?: Aris asked, Sinetis slithered down Alventine's arm to face the cat. §Remus Lupin, the wolf man. But we aren't suppose to call him that. It's not like he could hear though.§

"Harry! There you are, I've been looking all over for you! Have you been in a fight?" Harry, was actually watching Remus with a new light.


	7. Info Page

**Info Page**  
This might clear things up a bit. Or not.

Hogwart's Heirs:  
The more accurate name for these people, would be Children of Hogwarts. But it is a bit awkward if one was still called a child when nearly a century year old, so a Headmaster a few centuries ago changed the name. These people are not related to the Founders, instead, they are people who are chosen by Hogwarts to be her children. Their loyalty is forcibly changed to Hogwarts once they accept the status. They cannot harm Hogwarts in any way. Hogwarts binds her magic, and theirs together, which is a dangerous process. Anyone who has no clear sense of self, would die when the connection forges, (or just get really sick.)

1. They are free from many school rules, for ex: curfew, and restriction to the forest.

2. Did I mention the exclusive suites they get? Ohhh.. and food whenever one needs!

3. Extra activities, for ex: Swimming, flying…

4. No end of term exams, they get individual testing by the teachers instead!

5. No participation in the point system, only detention.

6. Hogsmeade at first year.

7. Their education is compressed into five years.

8. They are required to take 12 OWLs in third year.

9. They are required to take 12 NEWTs in fifth year.

they get one fail grade, anything below Acceptable, they'll never get any privileges of an Hogwart's Heir again.

11. are free to attend any class to two years above, every assignment has to be completed for the class they had attended.

12. They are not allowed to use magic against teachers or students, unless it's a proper duel. (Though it's quite fine between the heirs.)

Basically, a Hogwart's Heir gets to do anything he/she likes, as long as he/she get top grades, and are two years younger than anyone. But since they do not have rules, there are no rules protecting them either.

Magical Familiars: I think everyone might have heard about this as we browse through the fabulous world of fanfiction. Seriously though.  
*cough, lecture tone*  
Magical Familiars are animals that are bind to a wizard/witch. They can communicate telepathically, and feel their bonded ones emotions.


	8. Hermione Granger

A/N: From this chapter on, all familiar speak will be change into italics. Okay? Maybe this will make things easier to read.

Chapter 6

Hermione Granger

Harry Potter sat in the compartment with his two friends, Draco and Alventine. They were still grinning at him, for he had shouted at them when the two pulled him through the barrier without warning, and embarrassed himself in front of everyone. People had avoided the Boy-Who-Lived, and found an empty compartment.

Draco was trying to pacify him. Truly, Harry wasn't really angry – he just liked seeing his best friends ask for forgiveness!

Once the train started to move, and Draco stopped apologizing, Harry start looking at the view outside. They were all silent for a little while, and then they heard the compartment door slide open. A single voice asked, very quietly:

"May I sit here?"

A girl with very bushy brown hair, slightly red faced, stood at the compartment door she had shoved open. She was already wearing her school robes, but instead of black, they were a luminous pink, with the words, _I AM A BOOKWORM,_ printed on it. The two boys tried hard not to laugh, and Alventine frowned in confusion. Did this girl have some sort of problem?

"Of course," Harry said quickly, trying not to stare at her robes (but failing, trying to stifle laughter). The girl sat beside Alventine, while Draco and Harry helped her put up her trunk.

Her face was red and she stared determinedly out of the window, not meeting anyone's eyes. Unable to contain himself, Draco asked, "What happened to your robes?"

The girl's face turned even redder at the question. She whirled around.

"Two red haired boys shot a spell at me, happy? I can't change them back," she said angrily, entirely different from the shy voice she had previously, she glared at Draco, who looked quite taken aback.

Alventine stifled laughter, and said as kindly as possible, "Do you want me to fix it? If you don't mind me trying, that is. I've never actually done it before – I'm a first year, so it'll be hard."

The girl's face brightened, "Can you?" she asked excitedly, her brown eyes shining with hopefulness.

Apparently, like Harry, she wanted a good first impression when she got to Hogwarts.

Harry watched Alventine wave her wand, her face full of determination and concentration. At first, nothing happened. Alventine looked worried, and then she whispered, "_Cultumatra!" _ A hissing sound followed and struck the robes with a silver jet of light. After a second, the robes were back to their normal black color.

The girl beamed, her entire being seeming to glow with gratitude and excitement.

"Thank you! I'm Hermione Granger. I'm _so_ sorry that I didn't introduce myself, I was a bit upset about my robes – I don't want everyone to think a fool of me. Thank you. I've tried magic with my wand, but I've never learnt how to charm one's clothes. What was that spell? Is it very hard? Would you mind showing it to me some time? Is that an Arosis snake?" Hermione asked suddenly.

Harry marveled at how she could talk so fast without getting all the words jumbled together. Alventine looked equally amused.

"_She talks fast,_"Aris commented, leaping onto Harry's lap, changing her coat in the process.

Hermione gasped, "Is that a Chameleon Cat? I've read about them! She's beautiful!" Her attention focused on many points at once as she stared at the cat then at Sinetis.

Alventine ignored this and introduced herself. "I'm Alventine Helting, this is Draco Malfoy, and this is Harry Potter." Predictably, Hermione's eyes widen at the name 'Harry Potter.'

"Are you really? I've read all about you, but the books never mentioned about your cat. You defeated You-Know-Who when you were just a year old! It's a pleasure!" She shook Harry's hand, who looked surprised. Hermione turned to Alventine as well, beaming just the same. "I've read about you too! You're the youngest heiress of Slytherin in Hogwarts, right? That's amazing! Oh, and you must be Sinetis, her familiar!" She turned back up to Alventine. "You're a Parselmouth right?" she asked enthusiastically.

Sinetis slithered down to Alventine's wrist, studying Hermione intently. He had awoken from all the fuss and was pleased that someone was complimenting him.

"_I like her,_" he hissed.

Alventine laughed, and hissed back, "You just like her because she complimented you, you vain little snake." Harry also laughed at the comment. Hermione stared at Sinetis, looking completely at ease as the snake slithered onto her palm. She turned to Harry, her bright eyes filled with an overwhelming curiosity.

"Are you also a Parselmouth? I heard they were very rare." Hermione asked, her mood improving as she forgot about her previous shiny pink robes.

"Yes, but it's suppose to be our secret. You must promise not to tell anyone." Alventine said, taking Sinetis back to his sleeping place. Harry grinned.

"Of course, I promise!" she said, appearing very happy to be let in on a secret. Harry smiled, feeling a likeness for this girl and her love of secrecy (something they both shared).

Draco seemed to be irritated by something, and very abruptly, he drawled, "Are you a Muggleborn?"

Hermione looked bewildered by this question, but she nodded. "That's why I read so much – it's just so much to learn, isn't it?"

Draco suddenly turned cold at this answer. "It is if you're not magic enough to know it already," he muttered under his breath. Harry winced. Aris could feel the whole mood of the compartment turn frosty and shuddered.

Alventine cut in sharply, "Draco, I can't believe that you are so prejudiced. Hermione, let me introduce you to one of the arrogant aristocrats of our world, those who think Muggleborns are dirt: Draco Malfoy, the heir to one of the rich pureblood families," she said coldly, completely ignoring Draco, who turned pink at these words.

Harry still didn't understand why Draco was so touchy about bloodlines. Why did it matter to him?

"I am not!" Draco protested. Harry stared at the fight like watching a badminton match.

Alventine looked at Draco frostily, her eyes suddenly losing their mysterious playful glint, Sinetis baring his fangs. "Then prove that you are your own," Alventine said coolly, while Hermione shrunk into her seat, trying to look small.

Draco nodded, looking slightly ashamed, held out his hand to Hermione.

"I apologize for my behavior. I shouldn't have attacked you about your bloodline. That was inconsiderate of me."

Hermione hesitated, but she shook his hand. "I accept your apology, but on one condition." Hermione grinned; Harry noticed that she didn't seem really offended.

"What?" Draco asked cautiously, his face still red.

"Teach me the culture of the magical world," she said.

Alventine smiled at her words, and indicated to Harry while Draco nodded and agreed.

"Harry's learning too, so you don't need to study too much about it, but maybe that's because we've lived in the wizarding world our whole life that we feel that way," Alventine explained. "It's quite simple actually. You do read a lot, so I think it'll be easy for you to pick up." Alventine turned the atmosphere of the compartment with an easy smile.

Harry was wondering about Lupin, and Sirius Black. They had been friends the first day they met on the train – was it like this? Talking, teasing, occasionally insulting? Harry wasn't an expert on friends, but it did sound like a good start.

"_You worry too much,_" Aris said, leaping from Hermione's lap to his. Harry stroked her glossy coat and thought back, watching Draco eagerly explain the Wizarding World to Hermione.

He replied after a long pause. "_No I don't, I'm just wondering if I'm allowed friends._"

Aris nuzzled him. "_Of course, no one deserves more then you. Except for me,_" she teased.

Harry laughed.

A/N: Review! Thanks to my Beta for thinking up spells for me! (I'm horrible at languages myself.)


	9. The New Child of Gryffindor

A/N: Thanks for the reviews. (I mean, it's better than flames, or worse...nothing. Dead. Nothing. Horrible.) And Thanks to my Beta.

_italics are familiar speech _Easy to remember. Most of the time, it's thoughts, but Sinetis likes to hiss out loud, so Harry could hear too.

Chapter 7

The New Child of Gryffindor

Harry looked up as the four of them stumbled down the train. Well, Harry and Hermione stumbled, at least. Aris leaped gracefully down and turned her pelt into a beautiful tiger-like coat. Even as a familiar, she wanted to make the best appearance possible, Harry supposed. Girls.

"_Show off._" Harry thought teasingly, and let her into his arms. She was getting quite excited, since she had mostly slept away the train ride, allowing Hermione to remark on her pretty coats without notice.

It was very dark out on the Hogwarts platform. Harry squinted through the darkness to see a single lantern bobbing over the crowd of people.

"Firs'-years! Firs'-years over here!"

A giant of a man was standing on the platform, holding a lamp. His face was nearly completely hidden by a shaggy mane of hair and equally wild tangled beard. Harry wondered if he was human, or some sort of giants.

"Do giants exist in the magical world?" Harry whispered to Hermione. She shrugged.

"I'm not sure," she said quietly. "I've read plenty about Mountain Trolls, and they're dangerous enough…"

"That's Hagrid, Keeper of Keys of Hogwarts."

Harry turned at the sound of Alventine's voice to see her wearing light green robes instead of the school uniform. There was a silver snake pin on her robes, and she wore short black boots instead of trainers. Harry thought she looked something out of a medieval story, a bit more modernized. It looked quite humorous compared to their fully black clothing. Draco raised an eyebrow at her attire.

Alventine had excused herself about half an hour ago to change. But Harry didn't expect to change into such a formal dressing. Alventine caught Draco's raised eyebrow and glowered. "Don't any of you dare laugh," she said, looking irritated.

"You look nice." Draco said quickly, looking as though he was about ready to laugh.

Alventine retorted, "I know it when your are lying through your teeth, Draco! But I do appreciate the effort." She addedd.

"Come on," Hermione urged. "That man over there needs us with all with the other first years!" She tugged at Alventine's robes slightly, but she wouldn't budge.

"Sorry guys, I'm going with the second years, I don't need to be Sorted," Alventine said, smiling slightly. "Go with Hagrid. Good luck – I'll see you later." With that, Alventine gave them a little wave and hurried off with the elder years shuffling in another direction.

**~A~**

Alventine looked up at the staff table, scanning it over. She had spent too many times in this place to be particularly interested in the Great Hall, but the people had changed, and that was always interesting. She had an inkling of which houses her friends would be sorted into, and was quite anxious to see if she was right.

Before the first years came in though, a boy dressed in red stumbled through the doors, looking nervous, and headed over to the Gryffindor table, where he sat down quickly.

_The new Child of Gryffindor, _Alventine supposed. _I wonder who it is. The first years this year didn't seem all that impressive... Besides Harry, Hermione, and Draco, of course._

"_Isn't that Harry?_" Sinetis asked, slithering onto her neck to get a better look. Alventine jumped in surprise.

"_Is it?" _She sat a little straighter for a better look at the red-robed boy. He had messy black hair that stuck up in the back. The robes seemed new and a little big for him. Smiling, Alventine noticed the dull grey cat right in his arms, trying to hide.

It _was_ Harry.

_He_ was the new child of Gryffindor.

She would have to keep him far away from Longbottom, or she would lose Harry to Dumbledore – the meddling old fool he was.

Harry was red faced and talking to Percy Weasley next to him, looking extremely flustered and helpless. Alventine gave him a little wave when those green eyes pleaded for her help. It was unnecessary, but who could resist a little jab like this?

Alventine waited patiently for the Hat to end its song and the Sorting.

_That was a nice song, better than the one last year, at least, _she thought as she clapped for the hat. McGonagall gave her little speech, and then the first name was called. A pigtailed, pink-faced girl ran to the front of the room, looking very nervous. _That one has to be a Hufflepuff._

Hannah Abbott, Hufflepuff. Ha! She was right.

Susan Bones, Hufflepuff. Really, and she thought Susan would make a nice Slytherin, considering her aunt was Amelia Bones.

Terry Boot, Ravenclaw.

Hermione, Longbottom and the Weasley got into Gryffindor. Draco was sorted into Slytherin and sitting next to her, intimidating the two muscle boys, Crabbe and Goyle. Meanwhile, Alventine tried to memorize every first year student.

This would be her first year of actually having some breathing space out of Dumbledore's grasp. She would certainly make the most of it.

**~A~**

Harry kept repeating the same thing over and over until a seventh year had told them to knock it off.

"No, she's my familiar, she's not my pet. No, I'm not going to put her in a cage!" As soon he had stepped into the school, his robes had turn red, Professor McGonagall had gasped and told him of his new status, and he was shoved towards the Gryffindor table without a single explanation.

Harry stared up at the staff table as everyone ate. A young man that looked only a little older than some of the seventh years looked straight at Harry. He had dark hair and hazel eyes, and compared to the other teachers at the staff table, he had a healthy looking olive skin tone, and looked more like a school team athlete than a teacher.

Unlike the other teachers, he was dressed in the same simple robes as Harry himself, except that they were blue, the teacher turned away to talk to another professor.

"Who's that teacher, the youngest one?" Harry asked Percy. Percy looked over at the man and then turned back to Harry.

"Oh, he's Julius Orachel," he explained. "He's the Dueling Club advisor and Defense Against the Dark Arts substitute. He's the Ravenclaw Heir. He doesn't hold a full job here, though, he's an Unspeakable trainee."

"What's an Unspeakable?" Harry asked curiously. Then he supposed that it was a stupid question. The name was clear enough.

Percy explained patiently, "We don't know, they aren't allowed to talk about their jobs. That's why they are called Unspeakables."

Hermione soon joined the conversation and Harry zoned out when the talk was changed to classes. Aris was grooming herself on Harry's lap, and Harry's attention focused on her. She was one thing in Harry's life that was never going to change, and he could always depend on her support, however reluctantly the help came.

"_It's nice that you are paying attention to me again._" Aris thought to him, her green eyes shining.

Before long, desserts arrived. Everyone dug in, and the talk turned to families. Harry listened to the stories, laughing along with them, thankfully Longbottom was far away at the end of the table, and couldn't see him. Just then, Professor Dumbledore stood up and began talking to them all. He made speeches about the Dark Forest, and Quidditch try-outs, and then he announced for all Prefects to lead the students to their common rooms.

Harry stood up, prepared to follow Percy Weasley up to the Gryffindor common room. But before he could go out of the door though, he heard a familiar laugh. A hand took hold of his arm and he lost sight of the first year Gryffindors.

Harry turned around, surprised.

Alventine and Professor Orachel were standing behind him. Professor Orachel was smiling. He had a playful kind of smile that didn't suit on a teacher's face, he said, "You do have your own rooms you know? As a Child of Hogwarts? Come with us."

"Yes, Professor Orachel." Harry replied, stifling a yawn.

Alventine burst into laughter at this, and Professor Orachel looked pained.

"I'm only eighteen Harry – do I really look that old? Call me Julius." Half-teasing, he said to the Child of Slytherin, "It's your fault, Alventine, you're making me age quickly." He led them through a deserted classroom close to the Great Hall. "I wouldn't be surprised if I retire at twenty because of you."

Alventine laughed, "Innocent little me? You must be joking." She batted her eyes, and Harry laughed at this.

Julius ignored her when they arrived in front of a tapestry with a unicorn on it.

"This is the entrance to your rooms," Julius explained. "All you have to do is ask the unicorn to let you pass, and walk through the door behind it. You can ask in Parseltongue if you liked, it understands any language in the whole world."

"There's no password?" Harry asked. "But then everyone can get in!"

"The tapestry will appear wherever you are," Julius continued, ignoring Harry's comment. "You just have to look around for it. Most of the time the tapestry is hidden until one of you wants to go in or come out."

"Oh," Harry said. "So, only Children of Hogwarts can get it to appear?"

"Precisely, Harry," Julius said with a smile, turning to the empty corridor. He turned back quickly when Alventine actually passed through the woven door like it was made of water.

"By the way Harry, you'll wake up with an instinctive knowledge of Hogwarts tomorrow morning, but stick to the more popular passageways and don't suddenly come out of the Great Hall ceiling for breakfast, it did happen once. Since Hogwarts bonds herself to you, you'll know things that only the architecture knows." he said, the playful smile still on his face. Harry stared at the man incredulously, wondering how on earth he could just gain knowledge overnight. Julius gave him an amused glance, and before Harry could ask if he was serious, Julius pushed Harry through the tapestry.

"No, I'm serious." he added before Harry had fully gone through. "Good luck, Child of Gryffindor!"

A/N: Review! Thank you! How is my OC coming?


	10. Schedules

A/N: Thanks to HarryBellaHermione, E, thepotionsmaster369, NewProphecy, slytherintriumvirate, thunderstormtwilightnight and CharmeMilliE, for reviewing. Thanks to my Beta NewProphecy for…well, everything. This chapter is a bit long...

italics are familiar speech Easy to remember. Most of the time, it's thoughts, but Sinetis likes to hiss out loud, so Harry could hear too.

Chapter 8

Schedules

Harry woke up the next morning in a very comfortable canopy bed, the dark red sheets reminded Harry what he was, and he frowned at the thought. Last night, he had been too tired to think about other things and had stumbled into bed without thinking, but now, with the sun shining in from the window, Harry decided to explore his new rooms.

He was in a fairly simple rectangular room, there was a wardrobe, a bookcase full of books, and a desk with all the quills sharpened and pieces of parchment in the drawer. There was also a cupboard with odd stuff neatly placed, there was a brand new broomstick, with the words Firebolt on it, and his name engraved in gold. Harry had never seen such a beautiful broomstick and was quite anxious to learn how to fly on it. To fly, it was everyone's dream.

"_Not mine." _Aris commented, she was pure white today, and looked simply adorable with her green eyes blinking at Harry lazily.

Harry put the broom back and resolved to check out every one of the things in that cupboard later, he studied the bookcase filled with books. All of the books had his name printed on it, declaring that all the books were his. Harry smiled, touching their spines gently. Harry never had so many books in his life. The wardrobe was astonishing – Harry thought the wardrobe was a bit too large for him, and made him feel like Aunt Petunia, who loved shopping for clothes. Most of the clothes had the Gryffindor lion on them, and were red. Harry quickly picked out the clothes that had the tag 'Wear me' on them and folded his pajamas on the bed.

Harry gaped at his bathroom. It was lit by a beautiful candle-filled chandelier, and everything was a soft white like the color of Aris' coat. Instead of a bathtub, there was something that looked like a round empty swimming pool sunk into the middle of the floor. There were about a dozen golden taps with little lions on them at the pool's edge. Deep red curtains hung at the windows, and a small pile of fluffy white towels sat next to the swimming pool. There was also a simple shower and an elaborate sink, with candles lighting the mirror.

Harry felt like a girl with all those things, there was even makeup, for heaven's sake, and a book beside it on dressing up! Harry settled on leaving his complicated room and on finding Alventine.

The common room, was just as marvelous as Harry's own room, but had more colors. Before Harry could carefully examine the doors though, Alventine came out of her room, dressed exactly like Harry, with a t-shirt and jeans, but in green.

Her wand was strapped to her arm, and Sinetis was asleep in her pocket.

"Where's your wand?" She asked, Harry pointed at his pocket. Alventine stared at Harry's wand then said, "I suggest you go back to your room, and find this." She pointed at the leather thing strapped to her arm. "You can have your wand in your hand much faster, and you won't have the danger of accidentally putting your jeans on fire. It's called a wand holster." She added as Harry's eyes widened at 'putting your jeans on fire' part.

**~A~**

Harry found out he could easily walk around Hogwarts without getting lost, and Julius had been serious when he said there was a passageway right in the ceiling of the Great Hall.

Instead, they stepped out of the tapestry and walked into the hall, the tapestry vanishing behind them. Harry stared at the empty hall.

"Why is the hall empty?" He asked.

"Because it's only seven o' clock," Alventine replied in surprise, as though it was quite simple. "Hogwarts wakes us up at six thirty – if she bothers to wake us up at all," Alventine added with a smirk, sitting at the empty Slytherin table. Harry sat beside her.

"You too?"

Harry looked up to see Julius walking in. He strode over to where they were sitting. "I was awake at five thirty, couldn't sleep. The castle wouldn't let me sleep." He sat beside Harry, and breakfast appeared on the table automatically.

"Aren't professors suppose to be at the staff table?" Alventine asked.

Julius looked around the completely empty hall. "Do you see anyone complaining?" he asked dryly.  
"I don't. There are some traditions like that, but since no one's here, Harry is sitting with you, isn't he?" He said casually, searching for a strawberry in his plate of fresh fruit salad.

"Shouldn't I?" Harry asked, taking a bite out of an apple that was dipped in honey.

"No, you should be socializing with your fellow Gryffindors. Do you two want my help on writing your timetables?" Julius asked looking at his watch as students start filing in.

**~A~**

Harry and Alventine decided to go to the First Year Potion class since both Draco and Hermione were there. It was extremely easy to take the shortcuts in their minds right to the classroom.

"Draco," Alventine greeted curtly. Draco nodded at Alventine, while Harry went over to Hermione's side of the table where she looked simply miserable.

"What's wrong?" he asked her quietly. Hermione shook her head and took her book out without a word.

Snape took a long look at Harry and then focused his attention on Longbottom, who was talking with Weasley.

"Longbottom, what would I get if I added powdered root of asphodel to an infusion of wormwood?" Snape said suddenly, Longbottom looked up.

Harry glanced at Alventine and Draco, who both smiled at each other. Thankfully, Alventine and Harry had been testing their new potions lab and Harry had took a long look at that particular page with the sleeping potion. Hermione was on the edge of her seat and looked desperate to prove that she knew the answer.

"I don't know, sir." Longbottom said, his face completely relaxed.

Snape ignored Hermione's hand, and sneered, "Clearly fame isn't everything."

"Let's try again. Longbottom, where would you look if I told you to find a bezoar?"

Hermione stretched her hand so high into the air as it would go, Harry was thankful that it was not him, because Harry had no idea where could he find a bezoar. He knew it looked like a shriveled kidney.

"Sir, Granger seems to know the answer, why don't you ask her if you don't know the answer." Longbottom said, smirking at Hermione. Who looked eager to answer the question.

"Five points from Gryffindor, now, let's see if the Heirs are any better." Snape said, turning his cold eyes onto Harry.

"What is the difference Potter, between monkshood and Wolfsbane?" Harry racked his mind for the information, and found it blank, well it was worth a try.

"They are the same thing, sir," he said weakly.

Snape nodded, and Harry let out a breath he didn't knew he had been holding.

"Helting, recite the ingredients of the Boil-Cure potion." Snape said, Hermione's hand went down very reluctantly.

"Flobberworm Mucus, Dried Nettles, Crushed Snake Fangs, Stewed Horned Slugs and Porcupine Quills." Alventine recited at once. She knew the answer only because she had attended this class before and it was always in Snape's first class.

Things did not improve for Hermione as the Potion lesson continued. As Harry had brewed the potion yesterday, he merely gave it to Snape for inspection. The two heirs were set to walk around the class, and write down all the mistakes the whole class had made and give it to Snape after class. They weren't suppose to assist though, so Harry watched Hermione tried to stop Longbottom from adding porcupine quills but both Longbottom and Weasley ignored her, and her own potion nearly burnt out.

"Idiot boy!" Snape snarled when Longbottom not only melted his own cauldron, but Hermione's as well, he had pushed her onto the floor by accident in his hurry to stand on his stool. Hermione's arms were covered with red boils. He waved his wand and the potion vanished. Harry looked around, only he and Alventine were still standing on the floor, unharmed.

"Sir, Hermione's hurt!" Alventine said, holding Hermione up.

"Give her the potion on my desk." Snape said, "I trust you know how to deal with this."

**~A~**

"She's a nightmare – honestly, we wouldn't have botched up the potion if it wasn't for her. Did you see her jumping up and down on her seat? Know-it-all," Longbottom said to Weasley. Harry couldn't help it. He whirled around to face them and Draco pulled out his wand (not that he knew what to do with it, but it _looked _menacing).

"I saw you – she_ told_ you not to add the porcupine quills! It's your _own _fault you ruined the potion!" Harry said, pulling out his own wand.

"What, going to jinx me?" Weasley said, "We don't know any jinxes yet."

"It's not as if you could win me, Potter."Longbottom added, holding out his own wand.

"Locomotor Mortis!" Longbottom shouted and Draco fell to the floor. Hermione went over to help him up and perform the counter charm. Harry felt his anger boiling up.

"Rictusem-" Harry started, but Alventine wrenched his wand out of his hand. Harry glared at her.

"_We aren't allowed to raise our wands against the students,_" she hissed in Parseltongue. She quickly gave him back his wand. Harry glared at Longbottom. Alventine held him back as she walked to Longbottom, who smirked at her.

"I'll take you on myself, wizard's duel. Midnight, in the trophy room," she said calmly.

"Alright, so you'll lose again." Longbottom replied, smirking at her.

Alventine accepted it coolly and smiled. "We'll see."

She waited until the Gryffindors had gone away.

"I've got a plan," she said, helping Draco up. "Let's go find Professor Snape."

Draco caught on immediately. "So you're not going to – brilliant! Brilliant, Al!" Draco grinned vindictively.

"What?" Harry asked, confused. They still couldn't duel, how were they going to win?

"You'll see." Alventine said, knocking on the door of Snape's office.

"Enter."

They went into the room. It was a shadowy room lined with shelves, with hundreds of glass jars in which floated all sorts of specimens, suspended in various potions. In a corner stood ready made potions in vials, Harry could see his own vial on it.

"Sir, I don't mean to bother you, but I was in the corridors, and I overheard Longbottom and Weasley are going to do…something tonight." Alventine said. Her innocent, uncertain tone made everything sound perfectly believable.

"Did they say where?" Snape asked, putting down his quill.

"I think they said the trophy room, at midnight. Yes, at midnight," she said, as if confirming it herself.

"I'll see to it, Miss Helting. A point to Slytheirn for accompanying a friend, Draco." Snape said, waving them out of the door.

**~A~**

"That'll get them into trouble!" Hermione said. Alventine gave her an odd look.

"That's the whole point, Hermione!" Alventine said. "Don't you want to get back at them?"

"But Gryffindor would lose all the points I gained in Transfiguration," Hermione protested indignantly.

"Oh." Alventine bit her lip. She didn't know that Hermione cared that much.

"They deserved it," Harry said. "Anyway, they would have lost the same points if a teacher was there when they hexed Draco."

Hermione pursed her lips, but did not argue.

**~A~**

Harry made his way to breakfast, only to find a very angry bunch of Gryffindors. Alventine was with Draco, and a bunch of other Slytherins, who were all looking at Alventine admirably.

Gryffindor had lost two hundred points, because they had destroyed the trophy room beyond repair.

"If I were you, I would face them here," Julius whispered as he leaned against the oak doors, levitating a grape into his mouth when Harry walked pass him.

"Why?" Harry asked, telling Aris to sit with Alventine. He didn't want her to get hurt.

"Because they can't curse you here," Julius pointed out.

Longbottom and Weasley were glaring at Harry as he sat down. The v shaped scar on Longbottom's cheek was very obvious as Longbottom touched it out of habit.

Weasley drew out his wand, and Harry inwardly thought maybe Julius was wrong. He tried to back away without looking like he was uncomfortable.

"Longbottom, are you trying to lose Gryffindor another hundred points?" Snape said coldly, sweeping down like an overgrown bat.

"No, sir," Longbottom said, shoving his wand back into his robes. Julius, at that moment, took Harry by the shoulders and began pushing him away.

"That's nice – now that you are in perfect condition, you can go out to swim!" Julius said casually, steering Harry out of the group of angry Gryffindors.

"I don't know how to swim." Harry admitted in a mumble, "The Dursleys didn't care if I drowned."

"Alventine can teach you. I'll be down in a few minutes, just to make sure she didn't drown you," Julius replied simply with a smirk. "Go on."

A/N:REVIEW! PLEASE!


	11. Hagrid and Flying

Chapter 9

Hagrid and Flying

Julius was quite right about Alventine nearly drowning Harry.

First of all, they had swum _in the lake, _which was_ freezing, _and the Giant Squid had come to greet them. Alventine had not told him there was a large tentacle behind him, and Harry had nearly been drowned by the wave the tentacle caused, choking in large amounts of disgusting cold water. Alventine took pity on him as he struggled to get to the bank, teaching him how to cast a bubble head charm as he swam frantically. It turns out that life threatening situations were very good catalyses in learning magic.

Hagrid, seeing Harry shivering in the cold, offered them a cup of tea in his little hut.

The two children sat in Hagrid's hut near the fire, a small wooden cabin that reminded Harry of the small cottages in fairy tales. It fitted the scene, near the magnificent enchanted castle, and right next to the mysterious dark Forbidden Forest, where a friendly half-giant with a penchant for dangerous creatures resided.

Harry sneezed, and Aris leapt out of the way to Sinetis' side, where he was sleeping near the fire. It was impossible to be afraid of Hagrid, despite Draco's protests and warnings. Walking around in a faded flowery apron, Hagrid handed Alventine and Harry treacle fudge.

Alventine cleverly placed it back on the plate, unnoticed by Hagrid, who said, "I knew yer parents when they were at Hogwarts, yeh know. Never saw such a troublemaker, yer dad." Hagrid chuckled. "James Potter, Remus Lupin, and little Peter Pettigrew." He sat down on the couch, which creaked loudly.

Extremely interested, Harry fought to wrench his cemented teeth apart.

"Then you must know Sirius Black!" Harry exclaimed brightly. Finally, a lead to his parents!

"Well, yeah..." Hagrid said uneasily. "I mighta met him. Fang! Get back you mangy mutt!" Hagrid pulled the slobbering enormous black boarhound away from Aris, who was wet with all the saliva dripping on her surprised face.

"_Stupid dog, can't even greet properly._" Aris thought distastefully, curling up on Harry's lap.

Harry sneezed again as someone knocked on the door. Hagrid opened it, revealing Julius. His hazel eyes were filled with mirth.

"Hi, Hagrid," he greeted with a little bow. "I just came to make sure Alventine hasn't murdered anyone."

Alventine mock-glared at him, sticking her tongue out. "I'm innocent," she declared.

Harry sneezed again, contradicting her. "Well, Julius, he only got a cold, and nothing else." Hagrid said.

"Apparently not that innocent," Julius commented dryly, kneeling down to look at Harry intently. "I suggest you go to Madam Pomfrey and ask for a Pepper-Up Potion," he said sharply, drying Harry's clothes with a flick of his wand.

Harry nodded numbly in return, his mind still on his new lead on information about his parents.

**~A~**

Unlike swimming – which Harry didn't like much – Harry wanted to try flying. Alventine had agreed to make up for her nearly drowning him by flying with him, and to try out two-person Quidditch that Draco had so eagerly explained last night. Alventine still didn't understand it fully, but it wasn't _too _difficult to comprehend.

"You know, we have flying lessons a three later. The Gryffindors and Slytherins, I mean," Draco said, lying on a couch in their common room.

Both of them had discovered that there were doors that connected the Slytherin common room and the Gryffindor common room to the Heir Common Room.

Hermione had suddenly burst in from a door and looked bewildered, when she saw Alventine eating a late lunch and Harry practicing Charms. Harry had caught a glimpse of the Gryffindor Common room, before the door closed automatically. Hermione had gaped when a very disgruntled Draco had done the same thing.

"That's impossible! The Gryffindor common room is in the towers, and the Slytherin common room is in the dungeons!" Hermione had protested.

"No, it's Hogwarts. She thinks we are lonely, and she wants you two to be able to come in," Alventine said brightly. "She knows you're our friends! Remember, Harry, how Weasley couldn't get in? That's Hogwarts!" And with that, she turned back down to her lunch and began munching on her turkey sandwich, as though what she had said was very simple indeed.

Everyone else, meanwhile, stared at her incredulously, wondering just what else the castle could do.

"But we were planning to play one on one Quidditch then!" Harry protested. Draco looked at them in disbelief, "What? But Al, you -"

"I know I suck at flying on brooms. I'm doing a huge sacrifice, Harry, you better appreciate it," Alventine said threateningly.

**~A~**

At two that afternoon, Alventine and Harry hurried down to the Quidditch Pitch to play, before the Gryffindors and Slytherins could take the pitch. Alventine had borrowed a practice Silver Snitch from the school, which was similar to a Golden Snitch used in professional Quidditch games. It was slower than the average Snitch, however, so it would be less of a hassle.

Harry gazed at the Quidditch pitch. He had never been here before. Seats in different colors were high enough to see what was going on. At the ends of pitch, there were long tall poles with hoops at the top. Harry couldn't wait to fly around the wide open space, and fantasized about himself playing Quidditch.

Before he could go off though, Alventine showed him how to mount their sleek prototype brooms, and released the Snitch, which sped away.

Harry kicked off the ground and _soared_, the cool wind blowing against his face. The broom turned with the lightest touch. It sped along the pitch as such speed that the stadium seemed to be a blur. Seeing the Snitch hovering near the ground, Harry dived to catch it, ignoring Alventine's shouts.

It was _wonderful_.

This was what he was born to do – this was what he could do without hours of struggling. He _reveled_ in it.

Then he caught the Snitch, clasping it tightly in his fingers and grinning madly. He ran his fingers through his hair, feeling it was just natural to do at this point.

"HARRY JAMES POTTER!"

Harry flinched.

Professor McGonagall was looking out of the window where Harry had just flown past. Alventine sped towards them. McGonagall was white with fury, her lips thin and pressed together.

"How _dare _you, might have broken your neck!"

Alventine blanched. "Professor, I asked Julius to place safety ward on the pitch for us this morning," Alventine interrupted.

"I'm sorry," Harry put in. "I didn't –"

But then he stopped, realizing Professor McGonagall was smiling.

Harry narrowed his eyes in confusion.

"Your father would have been proud, he was an excellent Quidditch player," McGonagall sighed. Then, she grew serious. "Madam Hooch has just taken Seamus Finnigan to the Hospital Wing. The first year Gryffindors and Slytherins are in the middle of their first lesson. Can you two fly over and watch them for me?" she added hastily.

"Of course, Professor," Harry said, feeling relieved. He had gotten used to the odd things the Heirs had to do. At least he wasn't in trouble!

**~A~**

"I thought I was going to be in trouble for sure," Harry said to Alventine as they flew to the first year class, his mind still on the comment on his father.

Alventine scoffed. "Right," she said. "McGonagall loves you – you should see the way she watches –"

"I want to know why my godfather is in Azkaban," he said suddenly. Alventine's eyes widened and she stopped at the quick change in subject.

"Well..." she said thoughtfully. "We could probably ask Lupin – oh Merlin! Look!" she cried, pointing at the first years.

Draco was flying upwards, holding a glass orb in his hands.

"Draco! What are you doing?" Harry yelled. Draco looked back at them surprised.

"I got something of the Weasley's here! He insulted me and Hermione! I'm going to hide it!" he yelled back.

"What? Draco, we're supposed to be watching you guys! You'll get into trouble!" Alventine shouted over the wind.

"Give it here, or I'll knock you off your broom!" Longbottom had sped up near them.

Draco debated on throwing it away or to Alventine. Alventine would never catch it.

"Catch it if you can then!" Draco said, and Alventine groaned beside Harry.

Longbottom wasn't as superb as Harry was, but he was fairly good as he caught the glass orb in his hand.

"Oh, dear." Alventine said. She looked at the grounds, where Madam Hooch had just returned.

They hovered on top of the Gryffindors, who all started cheering, and the Slytherins, glaring grumpily at the Gryffindors.

**~A~**

"Longbottom is the new Seeker of the Gryffindor team. I bet Dumbledore bent the rules to make him happy," Alventine said. Her tone was unnaturally flat.

"What? And I-" Harry protested.

Alventine turned towards him. "We can't play in house teams Harry," she sighed. Turning away, she strode through a door, into class.

Harry eyed Weasley and Longbottom, who were surrounded by a group of whooping Gryffindors. Unhappily, he just stared at the cheering Gryffindors jealously.

**~A~**

It was Friday afternoon, when no one had classes, and they were forced by Hermione to do their homework in their Heir Common room.

"Do you guys want to go and visit Hagrid?" Harry asked all three of them after two long arduous hours of writing The Effects of the Muggle Renaissance on Wizarding Community. It was a History essay he had to do for the Heirs personal tutor in History, Helena. She was a ghost, also known as The Grey Lady of Ravenclaw. At least she was more interesting then Binns' class – Harry had fallen asleep in the first five minutes.

"But we haven't finished our homework yet!" Hermione exclaimed, putting down her neat parchment full of tiny writing.

"It's Friday, Hermione - we've got two more days to finish it!" Draco said. He was eager to be away from his own Potions essay.

"I thought you didn't like Hagrid," Alventine commented, looking up from her own book about Charms on her lap.

Draco looked uncomfortable at this accusation, and played with his expensive pure black quill.

"Well, you have to admit, he's a bit...odd," he said, ending the sentence lamely.

"I don't think so," Harry defended hotly. "Why does it matter if Hagrid's half-giant? I think he's nice enough." He narrowed his eyes, putting down his essay and showing open hostility.

"Harry, Draco –" Hermione began.

"Look you two – stop," Alventine added heatedly.

"Draco, stop being so prejudiced!" Hermione snapped. "I thought you said you didn't care!"

Draco made a point of not meeting Hermione's eye.

"Harry, don't mind him, he's a prat," Alventine said to Harry, who continued glowering at Draco. "I wanted to get an example of his treacle fudge anyway," Alventine intervened calmly.

"Examples? What for?" Hermione asked, changing the subject as they stowed away their homework.

Alventine grinned.

"Why, for experimenting on a new kind of glue of course!"

Hermione frowned in confusion. Harry and Draco laughed, their hostility forgotten.

Harry grinned. Hagrid was a nice guy, but…Harry would pass on the treacle toffee, if it wasn't too rude.

A/N: What do you think about the Heirs? Too unrealistic? Well, review!


	12. Of Birthdays and Drunk Werewolves

A/N: Thanks for the reviews. Cookie?

Chapter 10

Of Birthdays and Drunk Werewolves

Maybe it was because Harry was busier than normal students, or maybe it was because of the odd life he was living, but Harry couldn't believe that two months had passed since he was found in the park with a broken arm. Harry had chosen to drop Divination, Muggle Studies and History of Magic in the past two months, but he was as certain as ever that he wanted to learn all about his parents.

Draco and Alventine didn't like sitting in the library researching old records about Harry's parents, but Hermione delighted in doing anything involving research.

Harry would be seen in the library from morning to night, flipping through old editions of The Daily Prophet, and files on his parents, or in the trophy room, looking at the awards his mother got in Charms and Potions.

His life was still bursting from compressing three years of study in one. At first, Hermione was slightly envious of all the information Harry had access to, but after finding Harry fast asleep in an armchair, clutching the book _Numerology and Grammatica_, she didn't mind so much anymore.

Harry played with the taps in his personal swimming pool, delighting in the various kinds of bubbles. No wonder Alventine liked swimming so much! Who wouldn't with all the bubbles you could play with? He usually took a quick shower, but it was Saturday, and Harry didn't feel like getting to work again so quickly. His notebook on his parents was nearly full, with all the clippings and notes he had wrote in it.

"Harry, I'm going to leave you here and go to Hogsmeade myself!" Alventine's voice wafted through the door.

Draco and Hermione were sitting in their usual chairs in the Heir Common Room, and in front of Alventine was a pile of presents. Harry walked into the room and frowned at the pile.

"Is it supposed to be Christmas?" Harry asked, sitting down. Hermione glared at Harry, he wondered what had he done wrong.

"It's Alventine's birthday," Draco filled in helpfully. Harry racked his brains for when had she ever mentioned it. He had no idea. He had been so busy running around the castle for any new leads, he had completely forgotten Alventine's birthday.

"_Busted," _Aris teased. "_You're dead." _She climbed onto his lap. Harry bit his lip.

"Oh." Then a thought came to him.

"Isn't today Halloween?" he asked, trying to turn to another subject and failing.

"Yes, my birthday is on Halloween," Alventine said sharply. "It's very...uncommon." Alventine spoke slowly, as though pondering. Harry looked at her blankly, stroking Aris as she turned into a tiger kitten.

"Halloween represents the start of the darker half of the year, and the end of the light half," Draco tried to explain. "And in our world, it's a bit literal," he added as an afterthought.

"So, it means that everyone thinks that being born on Halloween, when the veil between living and death are the closest, is bad?" Hermione said in a voice full of curiosity.

"Let's just say they think I have potential for Dark Magic." Alventine said cheerfully, not at all disturbed by the fact. Her friends exchanged glances, trying to think of something to say. Alventine hummed a little tune, looking around. Draco leaned over to Harry.

"Don't worry about it Harry, you can probably buy something in Hogsmeade," he assured.

"I wish we could go. It sounds fascinating," Hermione mused in a wishful tone.

"You'll have the Halloween feast to look forward to," Alventine said, and looked at her watch. "It's always a good feast. The Halloween feast originated from the Founder's Time. It's a very long tradition. Oh, Draco, don't give me that look! Helena forced me to remember everything of Hogwarts History."

She grimaced at Draco's long suffering expression.

**~A~**

Harry loved Honeydukes, even though it was filled with Hogwarts students. There were shelves of sweets. There was a large glass jar of Every-Flavor-Beans, which Harry had tasted in the Hogwarts Express. There were fat chunks of fudge that looked very unlike the ones Hagrid had given them. There were also Special Effects sweets. There was Droobles' Best Blowing Gum, with bubbles that refused to pop. And Ice Mice that Aris stared for so long Harry had to buy some for her.

Alventine, to Harry's utmost surprise, didn't buy anything, but looked outside with a bored expression.

"Don't you like to eat sweets?" Harry asked her, she shook her head.

"Not really," she said. Sinetis gave an amused hiss at this comment. Harry found that hard to believe, but shrugged it off, sampling a bit of Pepper Imps.

Alventine really didn't like sweets. First of all, lamia fed on blood, even though it was part snake. When in snake form, it ate as a snake, but in human form, it drank blood like a vampire.

It was also a seductress, but only had one mate in its life, whether it be human or a male lamia. The others were seduced and killed.

Being half lamia, Alventine ate like a human, but could distinguish different blood – although she couldn't survive on blood alone. She could never be an Animagus, since she already had a form as a snake.

She had yet to know if she needed a mate or not. She hoped she didn't. A lamia died when its mate rejected it, and Alventine didn't like the idea of her life dangling in the hands of another.

They went to visit the Post Office, where there were all sorts of owls. Harry particularly liked the snowy owls, he wished he could have bought one as a pet. Aris hissed at this thought, she didn't want an owl.

Then they went to Zonko's, which was packed with students – even more so than Honeydukes. Harry wanted to buy some of them, but Alventine gave him a look of pity and said, "You do know that we would get detention, right? And Hermione certainly wouldn't approve."

Harry reluctantly put them all back on their shelves, looking longingly at the joke items. He debated over if the items were worth all the detentions he would get, or not. A growl from Alventine was enough for him to make up his mind.

"What can we buy here?" Harry grumbled, kicking a stone that was unfortunate enough to roll across his pass when they got out of the shop.

Alventine sighed, "You have no idea how many times I asked the same question. Butterbeer?"

"What?"

"Butterbeer, it's a really nice drink you can have in the Three Broomsticks," she explained, looking at her watch. "But we really need to go back to school. At least, I do. Let's order cold Butterbeer, and we can give some to Draco and Hermione."

**~A~**

Harry was getting really annoyed with all the rules the Heirs had, especially when he had to dress in dark red robes and _learn table manners. _No wonder Alventine had the same aristocrat air as Draco – she _had_ to learn, or she might find herself locked in some dungeon by Hogwarts!

Harry had declared once that he didn't want to learn bloody etiquette of eating and spent the whole afternoon locked inside of a room as a result.

The worst thing about this training was when Harry took the wrong fork in his own dinner setting, it grew red hot and burned him. Hermione winced with sympathy at this as Harry worked through his own specialized dinner. The food wasn't any different from others, but he had his own portion of everything. Any mistakes were followed with a not-permanent burn.

It didn't help that Longbottom laughed whenever Harry was burned, Weasley ate like a barbarian, and Aris had her own servings of fat plump mice. Harry was absolutely miserable.

"_Alventine says she's got something to cheer you up," _Sinetis hissed, slithering up his leg onto his lap. Harry bent down to hiss back.

"_Yes? I doubt it – my hands are getting burned to crisps!" _

Sinetis hissed in amusement, and then he explained. _"Lupin's wine is mixed with a relaxer. He'll talk very freely tonight."_

Harry's mood brightened considerably.

Lupin had been avoiding Harry by rushing out of the classroom every time Harry wanted to talk to him after class, but since it was Alventine's birthday, he would have no excuse to push him out of his own office. It was perfect. Although Alventine never helped with research, this was more than Harry had ever hoped.

Alventine smiled at him across the other students.

**~A~**

On their way to Lupin's office, Julius smiled at them with a knowing expression.

"Go have fun, birthday girl." he said. Alventine's face turned pink at his words, irritated that she had been found out. Julius just turned around the dark corridor, and left them alone in front of Lupin's office.

"Harry, are you sure? Maybe we should come back another time –" Hermione said, her tone nervous, as they stood in front of the door.

"We won't get another chance, Hermione!" Harry protested. "Research will let me know about them, but this is my only chance of getting to know one of their friends!" His eyes were bright with excitement, not caring about the disastrous Halloween feast anymore. He knocked on the door once, and Lupin swung the door open in reply.

His eyes were dazed and fuzzy, and he was swaying to one side.

"Oh, hello Pronglet," Lupin said. All four of them stared at the previously calm and mature teacher, who looked like he was more then relaxed and slightly drunk.

"Pronglet?" Draco whispered to Harry in disbelief, his grey eyes laughing at the ridiculous name.

"Come in, come in, have some chocolate. Al, did you like your birthday present?" Lupin led them into his office, which was quite comfortable enough for all of them. Harry even saw a Grindylow they had in class on one of the shelves filled with all sorts of creatures.

Alventine looked perfectly at ease with all those Dark Creatures, and Lupin handed out a huge bar of Honeydukes Chocolate to all of them.

"Professor, I want to ask something about my parents, and Sirius," Harry asked immediately.

Lupin said, smiling widely at the question, "Ask away Pronglet. And why are you calling me Professor, we aren't in class! Call me Moony."

"Are you sure you didn't give him a…Essence of Insanity or something?" Hermione whispered to Alventine. Alventine shook her head slightly, equally puzzled over Lupin's drunken state.

"No, but I never thought he would drink the whole bottle of mead. He never drinks a lot," Alventine said in a low voice behind Harry.

Harry took a deep breath and asked, "Did Sirius Black get along with my parents?"

Lupin's smile faded from his face, and he looked solemn.

"He betrayed us," he growled suddenly, not seeming so happy anymore. "He betrayed Lily and James –he was their secret keeper of the Fidelius Charm. Then he killed Wormtail, Peter Pettigrew. We never knew why, he was such a good friend… If he hadn't told Voldemort, neither of them would have died. But they didn't trust me, no, because I was a werewolf." His face was furious by this point.

Harry felt his world shatter into tiny little pieces.

Sirius Black had betrayed his parents, he was the reason Harry was an orphan.

"Harry, maybe, Lupin got it wrong-" Draco said, running after Harry, who had flung the door open, and stormed back into the Heir Common Room. He felt hatred burning through his veins. He had waited so long, he had wanted so desperately to know about his parents, and now...

He had found the true reason why he had no parents, why he had to slave over articles, books, pictures to know about them. Why he never had a happy magical family.

Draco and Hermione were forced out of the Common Room, Harry could hear them banging at the wall behind the tapestry. Harry locked the door and flung himself onto his deep red bed.

He sniffed. He would not cry. He would not cry over these useless things, he neither cared nor-

Damn it.

He cared.

"Harry?" Alventine was hovering at the door of his room, concerned. "I'm sorry," she said in a small voice.

"I don't care," Harry growled. "I'm going to Azkaban, I want to ask him. Face to face." He wanted to meet Sirius Black and ask him why the hell he betrayed them. He had been hoping that he could have some family, with all the magic in this world, why couldn't he have a simple basic family? Aris sat quietly on the pillow beside him, hurt. She had been so eager too, just like him. Alventine left his room.

Alventine was considering giving Harry up, but decided against it. As much as she hated to admit it, Harry Potter was not just a project anymore, but sort of a friend. No doubt the Gryffindor thought he was her friend. Alventine would have preferred being just his acquaintance, like she was with most people. It was quite alright with Hermione, she needed a female friend anyway. Draco was her best friend since childhood. And Julius – well, Julius was Julius: the odd mentor, friend, and sort of brother figure all rolled in one. She couldn't figure that out yet.

But Harry Potter…

"_Friend" _Sinetis hissed in reply to her thoughts_. "He's a friend, so you'll help him." _Sinetis curled around her throat.

"_I'm not God, Sinetis," _she sighed._ "I can't do anything to help him, I only make matters worse." _Alventine grimaced.

"_You'll find a way,"_ Sinetis thought reassuringly.

Alventine kissed his triangular head, putting him on her pillow, as she slipped into her bed.

"_You'll always be with me, won't you?" _she hissed softly.

A/N: Thanks to my wonderful Beta, Thanks to the Reviewers, and..

Review!


	13. Accidental Magic and Pranks

A/N: I'm back!

Chapter 11

Accidental Magic and Pranks

Hogwarts students were more or less afraid of the Gryffindor heir after Halloween. Even the seventh years were wary of the eleven year old Gryffindor Heir.

Lupin was very sorry he ever invited Harry Potter into his office, and that he ever drank that mead. But it was done, and there was no way to change the past.

It all started when Harry Potter, dressed in his usual blood red shirt, sat at the middle of the Gryffindor table without a word. Aris was nowhere to be seen.

The Gryffindors all stared at the person sitting in the middle. Most of the time, he sat at the end, so everyone else could be together. No one wanted to be with him; no one wanted to go against the Boy-Who-Lived, Neville Longbottom.

Hermione was in the library, so she was not anywhere to be seen. Harry had gotten up abnormally late today, like most Gryffindors.

Harry heard footsteps approach him, and then a familiar, yet not pleasant, voice sounded from behind him. "Go away," Longbottom snapped. "You're in our seats." Harry looked up from his breakfast coolly, his green eyes burning with a fierce energy.

"Why?" he said, not putting down his fork.

Longbottom wondered why this usual cheerful, easy to bully person was so different today. Unfortunately, his mind wasn't used to thinking things that were too deep for him to comprehend.

"Because it's my seat, that's why," Longbottom said, as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. Weasley was nodding beside him, trying to look menacing and failing miserably. He just wasn't the type.

"Your name isn't on it, Longbottom. Go away," Harry said slowly He sounded just like a teacher trying to explain to a child that one plus one always equaled two, while he waved his fork to emphasize his meaning.

"Get up!" Longbottom spat as he pulled out his wand. Dean Thomas, another first-year Gryffindor and another of Longbottom's goons, pulled Harry up by the collar of his clothes.

Harry glared at them. His eyes, usually a calm and pleasant emerald color, were a furious vibrant green. It reminded Neville of the "Avada Kedavra" green in his nightmares.

"_Let – go – of – me_," Harry said icily. Longbottom, seeing that he had more people on his side, did not listen.

"I _said,_" Harry snarled, "GO AWAY!" Harry shouted.

With a flash of light, and a loud _bang_, both Thomas and Longbottom were pinned to the stone wall by various shining silver knives and forks.

The whole Gryffindor table was blasted across the room, right next to the Staff table. Food splattered over the Professors. The students were all dripping with orange juice and porridge. The other Gryffindor students sat dumbfounded at their breakfast that had just flown away from them.

Neville Longbottom and Dean Thomas, pinned to the stone wall high above them, were screaming unintelligible words. Harry was standing in the middle of all the chaos, clean of all the food that decorated the whole hall, his wand still in his holster as he stared up at the two first years in his fury.

Harry suddenly wished he had a camera, as his anger and the rushing feeling of magic vanishing in the moment, so that he could fully appreciate his work of art.

The whole hall was silent at Harry's outburst.

Dumbledore was covered with various assortments of jam, a human rainbow that perfected the image of a clown.

Professor McGonagall was dripping with milk from the cornflakes dotting her normally stern face.

Harry smiled when he saw Professor Snape.

He had no idea how he had done it, but pieces of toast balanced on top of each other perfectly on his head, the rest of him were covered with sausages and eggs, and somehow, his previously empty fork now had a piece of bacon speared on it. He looked like a piece of art Harry had seen when he was younger.

Harry grinned widely, putting his hands in his pockets. He _loved_ magic.

"HARRY JAMES POTTER!" McGonagall shouted at the top of her voice. Harry stifled a laugh when he saw Professor McGonagall sweeping towards him. It was worth it, even if he was getting into trouble.

"Detention for raising a wand against a fellow classmate!" she started, thin-lipped and white. She was shaking with anger as the whole hall watched.

Harry grimaced, suddenly hating magic. Then he remembered something.

"But Professor, I didn't take out my wand," he protested, pointing at his wand in its holster. His cheerfulness began dying again as he saw Lupin cleaning out his hair with a cleaning charm. _Lupin. _He was reminded of Sirius Black, the traitor – the reason for his parents' murders…

Professor McGonagall stared at him, looking angry all the same. "You didn't…take out your wand?" she growled slowly.

"No, Professor," Harry said in a clipped voice.

"Professor McGonagall!" called a child-like voice. "Professor McGonagall, Professor Julius wants me to find Harry. He says Hogwarts wants a word with him." Alventine's head poked through the oak doors, her dark blue eyes blinking with the innocence of not knowing the fiasco that had just occurred.

"Go," McGonagall snapped. She knew she had no power over Julius, young as he may be.

Harry didn't need to be told twice. He dashed out of the hall, and Alventine's expression changed into an impish smile.

"That was incredible," she grinned at him. "That was amazing, that was, and it was all an _accident!_" she whopped. "That's the mark of either a really talented wizard or a very temperamental one. Somehow I can't tell the difference with you," she joked.

"What? Oh, right. Yeah," he said, his mind still on Lupin.

"Julius promised to show me the plants and creatures in the Lake," Alventine continued. "I know you wouldn't like it, so I'll meet you in the evening for dinner," she said, and before Harry could stop her, she had slid down the banister of the staircase.

"That was brilliant Harry!"

Harry whipped around at the sound of Draco's voice. He smiled weakly.

"Dumbledore still hasn't got Longbottom down yet!" Draco whooped, racing toward him along with Hermione, who was holding a stack of books.

"You might have gotten into trouble, Harry!" she scolded. Then she took a look at the expression on his face. "Are you all right?" Hermione asked, concerned, shifting her books into her bag.

"Yes," Harry said at once. He shook his head and then turned right to Draco. "Draco, do you know how I can meet Black?" Harry asked. the pureblood boy frowned at the question.

"Why?" Hermione asked, puzzled. Then her eyes widened. "Harry, I don't think that's a good idea," she said suddenly. "He's not worth it." But then, at Harry's expression, she closed her mouth.

"Let's get to Defense." Draco said hurriedly.

"I'll go with you," Harry volunteered. "Alventine's swimming." he wanted to talk to a more sober Lupin.

Draco and Hermione exchanged glances. A nudge from Hermione forced Draco to say, "Maybe that's not the best idea, Harry."

Harry felt his anger boil. Then, inwardly, Aris declared she was going hunting, and wanted Harry to cool his head before speaking to her.

"I'm coming," Harry said stubbornly. He knew he was being a bit childish, but he didn't care.

Harry didn't do anything the entire class. He sat and stared at Lupin the whole time, who fidgeted and refused to acknowledge Harry's existence. The class ended, and soon only Draco, Hermione, Harry, and Lupin were left.

"Professor," Harry called. Lupin tried to rush out of the room, but the door was locked. Harry knew the feeling of energy rushing through him, and he knew that he had, once again, used accidental magic.

"I shouldn't have told you any of that Harry," Lupin said immediately, and quite quickly. "It was a mistake, but you would have known it sooner or later," he admitted, sitting down right in front of Harry.

Harry waited for him to explain.

~A~

"What happened?" Julius asked, pulling the girl out of the lake. Alventine knew immediately what he was talking about, and it wasn't the Grindylow that she had frozen in the lake.

"Harry wants to go to meet Sirius Black_ now_," she said. "And I'm guilt trip to help him." Julius waved his wand and her clothes and hair dried.

They walked back to the castle in the cool wind. Julius was silent.

Julius didn't need a lot of information – he knew the full meaning behind her words clearly. He smiled at her, his hazel eyes knowing.

Alventine looked defiantly back, folding her arms. Julius just walked towards the Great Hall.

~A~

Draco Malfoy looked over at the newly repaired Gryffindor table, where Harry looked bored.

Draco indicated for him to join the Slytherin table.

"He's not supposed to be here," Crabbe said dumbly, and Draco rolled his eyes at the thick boy's stupidity.

"Are you going to ask a guy who just stuck Longbottom to the wall and blew the whole Gryffindor table to smithereens to leave? If you want to, be my guest," Draco drawled. Harry sat beside him casually.

"You haven't answered my question from the morning." Harry said stiffly. He had only got into a worse mood once Lupin had answered all his questions.

Draco had written to his parents to ask for help, he probably should have told Alventine first, but this was between Harry and him. Hermione had helped with his research, Alventine had helped with Lupin, and now Draco was doing something. It just felt fair.

"Look, I'm asking my father to arrange a visit to Azkaban. He might be able to do it, but in the meantime, can you just...calm down? They are still repairing the Transfiguration Classroom! You didn't have to turn your mouse into a blood-thirsty snake and force it to devour itself," he whispered.

"I didn't mean to do it..." Harry said sulkily.

"Same with the way you didn't lock the door when Lupin tried to escape?" Draco asked coolly. Harry shrugged.

"It just sort of happened, just like this morning. I really don't plan it. I can't tell you what spell I used – it just happened," he said, a little unnerved by his own show of magic, too. But it wasn't very important. It only happened when he was very upset. The important thing was Sirius Black.

"Thanks for everything, though, Draco," he said as Alventine slipped in beside him, holding Aris.

"So," Alventine said smoothly, "to relieve our friend of his stress, shall we, ah..._not_ raise our wand _directly _at our rivals?" she asked. Draco grinned at her.

"And I was thinking that we've been too innocent these days."

~A~

Lucius Malfoy held the letter his son had written to him, looking out of the window in his study. This was a good move on securing the Potter boy as an ally and influencing him. But was it worth it? Draco had described the powerful accidental magic and his heir status. He was certainly powerful, and under careful guiding, perhaps the boy could be some use to his Lord.

He picked up a quill to write a letter to the Minister.

~A~

The four children, tired from their late night activities, were full of anticipation as they stepped into the Potions Classroom. It was just something Alventine had to do after all the plotting. It was relaxing. Unlike Harry, Alventine was a natural in potions making. Her sensitive tongue was the main reason she was superb at identifying potions and making them, and so, she was very clear on what might ruin a potion.

This, of course, was the whole purpose.

Weasley's cauldron exploded, and hot steam shot up into the air. Within seconds, it was raining _in the classroom._ When the rain cleared, everyone was the exact colors of Christmas, red, gold, green and silver. Everything, including Snape and the two heirs, was covered in various shades of these colors.

"Potter, Helting," Snape snapped. "Did either of you saw what went wrong?"

"I'm sorry sir," Alventine said as though truly sincere. "I was looking at Hermione's potion."

"Sir, I was examining Vincent's potion," Harry said. Snape didn't dare disagree, knowing full well that the boy might be the worst Potioneer in history.

"_Evanesco_! _Scourgify!_" Snape growled angrily, clearing everything away.

Alventine grimaced at the cleaning spells. She _needed_ to find out a counter-charm to that! It was no fun when they had to prepare everything for so long just to be ruined in two words! She'd have to ask Hermione later – that girl knew everything.

"Zero, Weasley, and twenty points for ruining everyone else's potions."

~A~

"We nearly got caught." Hermione said, throwing her book bag down on a pale grey couch. Harry looked up from his album.

"We didn't, though," he pointed out.

"But it's wrong to do that," Hermione protested.

Draco sighed. "They deserve it," he told her. "We don't really harm anyone! It's just fun, Hermione." Hermione looked at her red and gold book bag. "And your book bag is much prettier than it was," he added.

Somehow everyone had a multicolored bag as a souvenir, since Snape had not managed to get the color off.

"Let's do another one tomorrow," Harry said eagerly. His face then hardened. "Has your father written back yet, Draco?" Harry asked, putting his feet on the table, just to be stung from his boots by Hogwarts for the manners.

Alventine smiled. "Manners, Potter," she teased. "Let's wait on the next prank, though, Harry. I want to see if Weasley will retaliate."

"_It's nice that you aren't being stupid again. I would like to help with the pranks too." _Aris nuzzled Harry, and blinked her brilliant green eyes at him.

"My father hasn't written back yet, Harry, so no. Should we announce a prank war on those prats?" Draco asked his partner-in-crime. Alventine pondered on that idea. It certainly sounded nice.

"Maybe," she said. "But Hermione – oh, bother!" Alventine looked up to see Julius leaning against the wall, grinning at her.

"Next time, _children, _look for teachers before you start plotting," the seventeen years old teacher lectured, looking more like a child himself, holding a crystal clear lollipop and an impish smile.

Harry frowned in disappointment. He _distinctly_ remembered telling the tapestry not to let anyone in…

A/N: Thanks to my wonderful Beta who did not abandon me. I'm not going to update so frequently now, (check definition of 'frequently') I love this story, but school, is the only thing I'm a bit better at then my normal life, so I intend to keep it that way.

I'm really sorry.

Oh, and thanks to Captain Shadow129, exodus666, FireflyLight, HilariouslyInsane, lokill77, madaniel57, mlkduds009, rampager94, thunderstormtwilightnight, turps2001, Varstar89, BANAB, NewProphecy, overlord7, Shadow of a Life, slytherintriumvirate, upperbeastsider, user99998, Xyrvyre, CharmedMillie, HarryBellaHermione, E, thepotionsmaster369, for either adding my story to their fav list, alert, or reviewed. Or both of them. Or all of them. (Pretty virtual Arosis snake for you if you did.)

I just pasted the thank you list here, it doesn't seem fair to just delete it along with my boring author note.


	14. AUTHOR NOTE II

I have a sneaking suspicion that my Beta is on a long vacation away from the lovely thing we call the internet.

I've written up to Chapter 17, honestly. (REALLY! I SWEAR ON MY...well, I don't own anything do I?)

But NewProphecy seems to have vanished off the face of earth.

So….

You lovely people can chose to read the Un-beta'd version first.

Or

Second option:

Wait for the Beta'd one.

Okay

There are a great lot of excuses too….

I can't speak, because I'm sick, it started like a month ago, I can speak a bit now, but my voice vanishes if I shout too much.

I'm moving, so I have to type this on my father's cellphone, since my new house doesn't have the internet.

One last thing.

I have exams on 12/2, and 12/3….sooooooo…..you know what that means.

Hello….NewProphecy? It would be great if you'd come back.

On a completely unrelated note:

Has anyone seen Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 1?

My parents are forbidding me to go anywhere except for school.

Poor me.

Is it good?

IF ANYONE WANTS TO READ THE UNBETAED VERSION PM OR REVIEW ME, I'LL POST IT UP RIGHT AWAY? okay?

(Yes, it's a secret plot to get more reviews.)


	15. Azkaban

A/N: YES! NewProphecy is ALIVE! My Beta reader is the most marvelous person on earth, thank you, NewProphecy. THIS IS A REAL UPDATE! (Yep, I know, they're rare.)

I've got Chapter 12 here…just so you know, I these are a few filler chapters, I'm a bit bored with Sirius being innocent and the boring trial…

A/N: Thanks for the reviews, and the alerts, and the favorites, and everything else.  
_italics are familiar speech _Easy to remember. Most of the time, it's thoughts, but Sinetis likes to hiss out loud, so Harry could hear too.

Chapter 12 Azkaban

Christmas Holidays were relaxing for Harry for one major reason.

All the Gryffindors, Slytherins and Ravenclaws had the sense to clear out of Hogwarts: far, far away from the temperamental _kid _that blew stuff up if one provoked him. He didn't actually harm anyone, but odd things happened that often humiliated the other person. Giving Harry a surprise, to his utmost delight. A few Hufflepuffs had stayed, including someone called Susan Bones and Diggory.

The three of them sat at the newly repaired and empty Gryffindor table. Hermione was playing wizard chess with Draco, and seemed to be losing from the smug expression on Draco's face.

"You haven't been showing up for classes for months Harry." Hermione complained, winning spectacularly with a wave of her hand, shocking Draco speechless as he was checkmated by a highly superior Hermione. She wasn't going home for the Christmas holidays because her parents were going to visit their relatives.

Without Longbottom's taunts, Harry was much more relaxed. Also, as Hogwarts didn't demand complete and perfect behavior in class, he was acting more loosely.

"I don't care. I'll catch up when I finish this thing," Harry said, and then he felt as if his hands had been stung and dropped his precious photo album. "Ow! Hogwarts!" he exclaimed. The castle seemed to have found a new way of punishing people, including electric shocks. It was a wonder to Harry how on _earth _the castle learned these things.

"You deserve it; you should learn how to get yourself out of trouble," Alventine said irritably, sitting down beside Draco.

Draco couldn't believe he had lost – he had never lost a game of chess in his life! And to a Mudblood – no, not anymore – to a Muggleborn, no less! "Rematch!" he demanded, but a poke from a wet Alventine told him to look up.

Harry was not surprised to see her soaking wet from her practice duel with Julius. Unfortunately, the spell was not going to wear off for some time – Julius enjoyed seeing her suffer.

The eagle owl of the Malfoy family flew in gracefully, its yellow eyes blinking at Harry with a disgusted expression (at least, as far as Harry could make out). He glared back defiantly, determined not to lose to a _bird._

"Harry, are you glaring at a bird?" Hermione asked incredulously. Aris purred on Harry's lap, glad that her human was back to normal again. _Normal_ meaning Harry was in a good mood. Harry stroked her and stuck out his tongue at the haughty owl, who glared back arrogantly, sticking out its letter to Draco.

"Harry, you need to get your brain checked at the...er, Hermione, what was it called again? A neuro… neuro-something," Alventine said seriously, looking over Draco's shoulder as he read the letter.

Hermione smiled, the two girls loved to tease Harry, he deserved it for being so "nice."

Draco's grey eyes scanned the letter, a smile appearing on his face as he made it to the end.

Everyone stared at him expectantly as Draco folded the letter carefully into his pocket and said,

"We're going to Azkaban."

~A~

Despite Lucius Malfoy's influence, neither Draco nor Hermione was allowed to visit Azkaban (both of their Heads of House had refused, saying that they were too young), and Dumbledore nearly stopped Harry and Alventine from going at that. But with assurances from Lupin that they would be careful, Dumbledore reluctantly allowed both of them to go. Julius was also coming, for "research."

Harry nearly regretted his decision to go when he saw Azkaban when he actually got there.

First of all, it was cold and gloomy – not to mention dark and depressing. They had Portkey-ed right in front of Black's cell, where the Aurors had cleared of all the Dementors on that level. The two children had been given chocolate and a mild cheering charm before they went in, but Alventine was holding onto an oddly unaffected Julius in a few minutes in front of the dark cell.

Sirius Black stared at Harry with haunted black eyes.

"Why are you so cheerful?" Alventine grumbled as Julius gave her his jacket, but he did not reply.

Harry stared at the gaunt like corpse staring right back at him. He looked nothing like the handsome, slightly aristocratic person in Harry's beloved photo album.

"I'm dreaming," Black croaked, his voice sounded as though had forgotten how to talk for a long time.

"You're not," Lupin said, leaning close to the bars where Black seemed to be glued to.

"Of course I am; the real Moony would never have come. He thinks I betrayed Lily and James. And the real Moony wouldn't dress like this, he doesn't care about robes. The real Moony would be too ashamed to bring Pronglet here, right Pronglet?" Black growled grimly. "I must have gone mad; I never had such convincing hallucinations before. Right?" he asked again, his eyes strangely focused, but this time on Julius. He frowned, looking confused. "Wait a minute; I don't know you…that's odd. Unless you're, real of course...but that doesn't make sense...unless I do know you, but I can't remember..." Black muttered, slowly going quieter with even more nonsense.

Harry stared at him fixedly, and Lupin strode forward and pressed himself to the bars.

"We're real, Black, and Harry wants an explanation. You'd better give it to him, or I'll curse you to hell for doing this to _Lily and James' _son. As if that's not bad enough-" Lupin snarled fiercely, pulling out his wand and pointed it straight at Black. Harry was stunned by the usual gentle professor giving such a performance. "I'm _sick_ of you ruining everyone's lives. You'd better tell the truth, and put Harry's mind to rest. He's been through _so_ much and it's all your bloody fault. He wants to know why, and you'll tell him. You should at least attempt to make it up for him – but I doubt you even _care_, you _traitor," _Lupin growled. The Dementors were certainly not helping his temper, nor was the nearing full moon.

Black was gaping at him. "All right! All right! I'll tell you everything! It's not as if you'd believe me anyway!" Black shouted.

"The truth, Black, the truth! I never get to go to your trial –"

"_There was none to go to!_"

"– so you better give me the truth on why you betrayed your _best friend_!" Lupin growled. Black scowled.

"Long story short: Lily and James used Pettigrew as the Secret Keeper, so it wasn't me – _see!_ You don't believe me! I'm innocent, Moony! Remember the sewers that were blasted open? The rats? Pettigrew escaped down it; he cut off his own finger. It wasn't me," Black snapped quickly, desperately.

Lupin held up his wand and prepared to incant a curse, his whole torso trembling with anger. Julius quickly disarmed him and held Lupin back.

"Let me go! I'll kill him, that liar, that filthy traitor, he killed Lily and James, that-" The werewolf in him demanded Lupin to hurt anyone who had hurt his pack - they were a part of him – he had to hurt Black, he had to make him feel pain like no other before –

"Calm down, would you?" Julius snapped. "You're going to hurt Harry and Alventine. Calm down or I'll stab you with a silver knife." Julius was pulling Lupin away from the cell (_Stupid werewolf strength, _he cursed inwardly.), swearing under his breath as he tried to stop Lupin from cursing Black and harming Harry (for he was close to the bars, deep in conversation with Black).

Alventine was sitting on the floor, her face unnaturally pale and her eyes blank. No one paid any attention to her.

"Please, tell me the truth. I know the Daily Prophet is unreliable –" Harry pleaded to Black.

"Harry, I swear – I swear on my magic that it was Pettigrew and not me. He's alive - he's –"

Harry stood there for a long moment of silence. He really wanted to believe Black was innocent, because it would mean he had another friend of his parents was alive. Believing Black was guility, however, meant that Pettigrew was dead. Harry preferred the first option.

He turned to Alventine for help, only to find her on the ground and unconscious. Julius was pinning Lupin to the wall, attempting to harm Lupin as less as possible.

"Who's that?" Black asked, interested as Harry knelt over her. "Your girlfriend?"

"I'm eleven, I don't have a girlfriend!" Harry snapped back, his face red and hot with embarrassment. Harry nudged Alventine again. "Julius, help?" he called, trying to get a response out of the unconscious girl.

"Wait a second – _Petrificus Totalus_!" Julius let the body fall to the ground. "I'll give you loads of chocolate later to make up for this," Julius said to a furious Lupin.

"Is she going to be all right?" Harry asked as Julius approached. Harry felt a bit guilty for Alventine's fainting. He had demanded that they come.

"She'll be fine, but we need to leave. Sorry to cut your meeting short, but I don't think Alventine can stand it anymore," Julius said, carrying her and levitating a frozen Lupin.

"We're done anyway," Harry said. "I've got the Portkey." They quickly grabbed it, worried about their friend.

~A~

Harry sat on a chair in the empty hospital wing, feeling extremely guilty seeing Alventine's unmoving form. It was all his fault. If they had gotten out sooner, Alventine wouldn't be like this.

Julius was busy force-feeding Lupin a Calming draught and Madam Pomfrey was breaking a small mountain of chocolate for Alventine.

The hospital wing suddenly darkened to fit Harry's mood, the curtains drawing together.

"Oh, Harry!" Julius complained, waving his wand for the curtains to open. "Will you control your magic for once –OW!" Lupin had just slapped away the vial of Calming Draught and caused it to shatter on the floor. Madam Pomfrey shot Julius and Harry glares.

"_What happened to my human?" _Sinetis slithered in with Aris beside him. Harry's cat was a meek gray color. She was as big as a lynx now, but seemed to be trying to look small in front of a furious snake.

Suddenly, dark blue eyes opened, and Alventine hands automatically allowed Sinetis to climb up onto his usual place around her neck.

"Are you all right?" Harry asked. Alventine nodded, smiling weakly.

"_Did you get what you want?" _she hissed. Wincing at her own sudden use of Parseltongue, she blushed.

"I believe Sirius Black is innocent," Harry replied. Alventine's eyes widened.

"Then –" she started, but quieted when Lupin looked up. "We'll talk later," she whispered, sitting up.

"No, Madam Pomfrey said you had to rest," Harry said firmly.

"I just fainted, that's all." Her eyes narrowed dangerously. "I'm getting out of here, and don't you dare stop me," she said in a low fierce voice.

"Alventine!" Hermione exclaimed, bursting into the Hospital Wing nosily, with Draco trailing after her.

"Oh, we should have listened to Dumbledore –"

"Hermione, let her relax," Draco said, and Hermione fell silent with a concerned expression as they sat around Alventine.

The tapestry of the unicorn suddenly appeared right next to Alventine's bed. With silent conversations, the four students grinned. As quietly as possible, all four of them went in without Julius or Lupin knowing – but Harry could have sworn Julius winked at him.

"What's so important that you just had to escape the Hospital Wing, Alventine?" Hermione asked. Her face knitted into a frown.

Harry took a deep breath and said, "I believe Sirius Black is innocent."

He waited for their reaction.

Response to Reviews (I should probably respond more...shouldn't I? So…review more, and I'll respond more!) :  
_Child Of The Night Wolves13:_ I HAVE GOT TO GO AND SEE IT! My parents are only going to allow me to go, if I get good grades, poor me. I don't think I'll ever get to see it.  
I only responded to the reviews I got recently, but if I haven't respond yours, that doesn't mean I don't think it's important!  
Thanks for the suggestions, Child of the Night Wolves13, and NewProphecy.  
Thanks to Penseln, ausumist, Lily Marie Wolfe and DracoMalfoy4ever for the nice reviews..  
**A/N: **A thousand thanks for those who had not stop reading my story. (Cookie for you, and for you, and another for you.) (A big batch of chocolate chip cookies for you, NewProphecy. Hope you aren't allergic or anything.) I'm OPEN to ANY suggestions too! Even if it's just pointing out my mistakes. Suggestions through the reviews would be nice *hint* *hint*  
So...be nice to me...  
AND  
REVIEW!


	16. Sirius Black

A/N: Thanks for the reviews, and the alerts, and the favorites, and everything else.

An update so soon! No cookie for me? (AND YES! It's a real update instead of a boring Author Note!)

_italics are familiar speech _Easy to remember. Most of the time, it's thoughts, but Sinetis likes to hiss out loud, so Harry could hear too.

Chapter 13 Sirius Black

Hermione and Draco were debating about the possibility. Draco, who had an intuitive understanding of how a wizard thought, was trying to explain it to Harry and Hermione that it was quite possible. Hermione thought it wasn't logical, and Dumbledore was a fool for trusting three lives in the hands of another instead of himself.

Alventine had a couch to herself which she lay on, deep in conversation with her familiar. she was still unnaturally pale, quite unlike her usual self, but she glared at Harry when he opened his mouth to suggest she stay in the Hospital Wing.

"Black's guilty, and lied to Harry. Simple," Hermione declared, her face flushed from the heated argument. Harry looked away from Alventine playing with Sinetis.

"He's innocent, I know it. And I'll prove it," Harry said determinedly, his emerald green eyes filled with annoyance from his two friends' arguments. Nothing was going to stop him; he just knew Black was innocent. Aris nuzzled him comfortably at this thought. Both Hermione and Draco stared at him with wide eyes.

Draco turned to Alventine out of habit for her to solve this. As usual.

Alventine looked up for her snake that had fallen asleep of the exhaustion of slithering around the castle to find her quickly. Alventine opened her mouth to speak, but Harry cut her off.

"We shouldn't bother her, I'll do it myself. I won't make you come with me. Al, I'm sorry I shouldn't have insisted you come with me to Azkaban," he said.

Alventine continued as if she was never interrupted. "We are going to plan a few pranks. I need to think something lighter. Then we will work on to find Pettigrew. You three are giving me a major headache," she said with an air of finality.

"How can you think of pranks at the time like this?" Hermione asked. "Harry's worrying about his family, and you want to play pranks?" Hermione's face turned red again. She couldn't believe Alventine was going to do this! It was absurd and tactless.

"The Christmas holidays are nearly over, and we haven't even touched our homework. I think it's time we stop arguing over this. We'll take a break, for a few days finish our homework, and then start on it again. Please, I don't want my Christmas holidays to be a nightmare," Alventine said calmly, sitting up, letting Sinetis slide down onto her lap. The snake hissed in amusement, curling up.

As Hermione immediately dived to find her homework in her colorful book bag, Draco couldn't help grinning at Alventine, who smiled back lazily.

Harry frowned at the stack of homework they had assigned themselves, helped by a ghost. He opened his mouth to argue, but bit his tongue seeing the tired expression on Alventine's face.

They would prove Sirius' innocence later.

~A~

"Look what I've got!" Draco announced, putting a cage on the table. He placed it right on top of Hermione's book on Herbology. Aris slinked towards it, her nose wrinkling.

All three of them looked up, to see a small dark form scuttling around in the small cage.

"Is that...a rat?" Hermione said nervously, pulling her book back into her colorful bag. It was an ugly fat rat, and Hermione didn't like rats.

"Not just any rat! _Ronald Weasley's_ rat!" Draco said excitedly, his gray eyes shining brightly, completely ignoring Hermione's discomfort.

It clearly didn't have the effect he expected.

"How did you get his rat if Weasley's not staying here at Hogwarts?" Harry asked curiously, leaning closer to check out the animal. Having a cat familiar meant that Harry didn't like rats, it didn't help that Aris was hungry.

"_It smells odd, like...I don't know, like McGonagall, I suppose." _Aris sniffed, "_Can I eat him?_"

"_No, Aris. …Er, McGonagall? Well, maybe it's one of her transfigured rats,_" Harry mused in telepathy with her.

"Remember the time in Transfiguration and McGonagall had us bring all our pets to class? And how Weasley dumped his rat onto me? Do you think I would forget that?"Draco said haughtily. "I used a trap, but I haven't checked on it for days, because of – you know..." he added, his eyes traveling to Alventine.

Alventine was staring off into space. Draco, sensing that his trophy was not appreciated, lay the cage aside, albeit a bit sulkily. Alventine stared at the cage, deep in thought.

"Helena said Peter Pettigrew's Animagus form was a rat," she murmured, closing her dark eyes, laying her chin on the palm of her hand, and putting her elbow on the desk.

"If you were a Death Eater, outside of Azkaban, eager for the news of your master, where would you hide?" Hermione asked slowly, a thoughtful expression on her face. She looked at Alventine, realizing what she had been trying to say in her murmurings. A shocked expression fell over her.

"Somewhere in the wizarding world, obviously," Harry replied, bemused at the sudden turn of subject.

"But you would be recognized as a dead man walking around – that would have aroused some suspicion," Draco said, his face brightening as he caught on.

"He's an illegal Animagus! Rats aren't exactly conspicuous, he could, hide in a pet shop or somewhere," he guessed, reaching out to pull the cage closer. Hermione stopped him.

"You don't think," Hermione interrupted, lowering her voice. "That's Pettigrew? Don't you think we're jumping to conclusions?"

The four children lowered their voice, speaking in whispers.

"Weasley might have bought him, and Aris did say him smelled odd. She says it smells like McGonagall,we all know McGonagall is a cat animagus" Harry whispered.

"What should we do?" Hermione asked, glancing at the squeaking form.

"We aren't even sure..." Alventine pointed out the obvious.

"We could forcibly reveal him." Draco whispered.

"We've never seen Pettigrew before. It wouldn't help even with a forced revealing charm," Harry said.

"We'll bring him to Lupin," Hermione concluded after five long minutes of bickering. The other three gave her incredulous looks. "Don't you think we should make sure first?"

"What's the harm in checking?" Draco sighed, looking at the others.

~A~

Lupin had growled and nearly squeezed the rat to death until Hermione timidly suggested they go to Dumbledore's office. It had surprised all of them when Lupin blasted the cage open and tied the rat up like a mummy.

But then it got worse right after Dumbledore had sorted out the events and was about to transform Pettigrew.

Lupin reluctantly released Pettigrew, but before Dumbledore could point his wand at him, the fat rat transformed into a fat man with watery eyes and slightly pointed nose. In their stunned silence, he shoved Lupin aside and grabbed a knife – _and Alventine._

Everyone froze.

Pettigrew was holding Alventine hostage. She was trying to shrink away, and it didn't help that Sinetis was still asleep in Alventine's room, unable to help.

"Let me go, or I'll kill her!" Pettigrew screamed, his watery eyes bloodshot and filled with fear.

Silence. Dumbledore's brilliant electric blue eyes were piercing, but there was also a dash of curiosity.

Adults – were – _so _– useless. What was Dumbledore curious about? She was about to _die!_

"Let her go." Harry said angrily. He hated this person in front of him. He destroyed Harry's chance of a family, put _his godfathe_r in Azkaban, and now, the man was going to hurt his friend too?

Damn Dumbledore for doing nothing. That foolish, good-for-nothing idiot –

Harry could feel his anger boiling, and the feel of energy pulsing through him, the sheer _good_ feeling of magic traveling through him, and with a brilliant flash of light, Pettigrew was unconscious, curled into a ball on the floor. The energy was gone, and Harry felt a bit tired.

Alventine went down with him. Hermione, pale and with fingernail marks on herself, looking positively terrified, grabbed Alventine before she could fall down.

Then Dumbledore said the stupidest thing Harry had ever heard from the Headmaster.

"Well, the Ministry would be arriving any moment, I suggest that all of you get back to bed," Dumbledore said calmly, sitting down again. All the children looked back at him defiantly.

"Finish this. Now," Alventine ordered, letting Lupin heal the cut on her throat.

"Do not speak to me in such a manner," Dumbledore snapped sharply. And then, looking sad, he added, "I insist, Alventine. My dear, you've been through a terrible ordeal-"

Alventine struggled to maintain her composure.

"Al, we should probably go..." Draco said uncertainly, looking at the fireplace with worried eyes.

"_Sinetis," _Alv_e_ntine thought desperately.

"_What is it? Alventine, the Ministry? The government that fought against your father? Do they know?" _Sinetis thought back faintly.

"_No, we can't let them find out," _Alventine agreed.

Draco tried to communicate with her with his eyes only. She caught the message; it was the same as Sinetis':

_We aren't exactly welcomed by the Ministry. _

"I'll help you back. We'll go to the Hospital Wing," Draco offered. Hermione nodded and followed them out – taking a few shortcuts to avoid the Ministry officials, of course.

~A~

Harry ignored all of the magnificence of the Ministry, Pettigrew (he didn't want to look at the man who had _betrayed _his parents), and his godfather. He was day-dreaming about what Sirius was like. According to the stories, he was a prankster, but would Azkaban have changed him? A horrible thought struck him, as horrible thoughts did when he was nervous. Maybe Sirius didn't care for Harry's parents anymore…maybe he hated Harry for staying alive when his best friend had died…

He was sitting outside the courtroom with Lupin, who was wringing his hands nervously. Harry was not allowed in the trial. Dumbledore had used his influence to demand a trial for Black, as Harry had broken down and shouted like a spoiled child, ruining many things in Dumbledore's office. Hogwarts, feeling Harry's anger, forbade the Headmaster from doing anything except for writing a letter to the Ministry.

He was sorry for shouting now, for acting like Dudley. Dumbledore had said it was fine, and it was natural for him to be upset, but Harry was wallowing in guilt for destroying Dumbledore's possessions.

He didn't _want_ to be like Dudley.

His musings were interrupted by the door opening. Sirius Black was looking dazed as he stepped out. Like a man seeing the sun for the first time in his life, he was nearly shining with sheer happiness. Lupin, demonstrating his werewolf agility, embraced Sirius like a brother before Harry even knew he had come out.

Harry hovered awkwardly in the shadows, starting to regret his decision to come. He should have stayed with Alventine – yet here he was, wasting time with a man who probably hated him. He wished Aris was here – she always had some useful advice (if not useful, at least it cheered him up).

The anxiety of the two men talking to each other was not helping. Harry slid his wand into his hand, and put it back again. He was too far from Aris to contact her in any way – they weren't strong enough to do so. But he wished she was here.

Sirius Black still looked gaunt, like a corpse, but he grinned when he saw Harry.

"Thank you." He paused for a moment, looking sad, and then he added softly, "Has anyone ever told you…that you look exactly like your father? …But you have your mother's eyes – Lily's eyes, yes…" He let out a sigh.

Harry looked at him, a bit embarrassed. How much of an idiot he had been. They walked a little behind Dumbledore and Lupin, Sirius walking beside Harry. None of them talked to the other.

"So, which house you're in?" Sirius started, giving another brave stab at conversation.

Harry gave him an odd look, and then replied, "Gryffindor." He pointed at his shirt.

Sirius berated himself for being so stupid. The boy screamed Gryffindor, with his red shirt with golden lining, and a picture of a golden lion on it.

"Harry – you don't mind if I call you Harry, do you?" Sirius asked nervously. Harry shook his head, a small smile on his face. Maybe this wasn't so bad after all.

"Well, you know I'm your godfather, and your parents appointed me as your guardian..."

He didn't know that, actually – he didn't really know what a godfather did anyway. Harry had wanted Sirius to be free, so he could at least have someone outside Hogwarts to talk to.

"I was thinking, that...um...if you wanted a different…well, home," Sirius continued stiffly.

What? He nearly stumbled over his own foot as he stood statue-like on the ground.

"What?" he said out loud. "Live – live with _you?_" He stammered, "L-leave the Dursleys?"

"Of course, I knew you didn't want to – I understand of course, they are your family –" Sirius said very quickly, stumbling over his own words in his haste.

"You're – you're not joking? You mean it?" Harry asked, astonished. It was too good to be true – it couldn't be true – nothing liked this just _happened_. This was much, _much _more than Harry had bargained for.

"You-you_ want_ to live with me?" Sirius's eyes were wide. "Of course I'm not joking! I mean it –"

"Have you got a house? When can I move in? It wouldn't be inconvenient, would it? I can do loads of things – I can cook and clean –" Harry rambled. He couldn't believe it, leaving the Dursleys...it was his dream come true...

"Where did you learn to cook?" Sirius asked suddenly, but then he waved it off and continued. "Yeah, I have loads of houses, but – well, some of them might need cleaning up, but I could do that in a week! Who's your magical guardian?" His face was brightening. Harry could see a glimpse of the young man full of laughter shining through the corpse-like, gaunt face.

"I don't know...it's not going to be a problem, is it?" Harry said, a sense of dread creeping into his heart. To his knowledge…he didn't _have _a magical guardian… No, he thought firmly. He wouldn't have his dream ripped away cruelly like this.

"No, no problem," Sirius said quickly. "I'll ask Dumbledore." Sirius bounded to the Headmaster. They exchanged a few words, and Harry saw Sirius' face looking confused.

Harry remembered nothing until he woke up for the next day.

~A~

_Come to my office after dinner tonight. _

Harry shoved the note back into his pocket, eating the last of his dinner in one gulp, and hurried out of the Great Hall with Aris beside him, swinging her tawny tail.

"_What does Dumbledore want?" _Aris thought.

"_Not sure. Would you like a new home, without the pigs?" _Harry asked.

"_What's our home got to do with Dumbledore?" _Aris growled at the griffin blocking their way.

"_I don't know, he told me he was going to talk about my home tonight."_ Harry said out loud the password, "Chocolate Frogs."

"_Who likes to eat that? The man's mad!" _Aris thought haughtily, completely oblivious to the moving staircase. At least she didn't mind it much.

Harry moved her into his arms, where she settled happily. Things were always better when Aris was with him. The cat purred at the compliment, stating that she had such a smart human.

Sirius Black looked like a changed man over a few days. His hair was shorter, he was in new clothes, but the most different thing was that he was grinning brightly without a care in the world, looking young and carefree.

"Ah...Harry, I'm afraid that there are some complications about you moving out of the Dursleys," Dumbledore said, his bright blue eyes twinkling.

Sirius fell off his chair in shock.

A/N: Now that important stuff is gone, a completely unrelated note.

I WATCHED Harry Potter and The Deathly Hallows Part 1 on FRIDAY! IT WAS AWESOME! I bought the soundtrack too.

Okay. Unimportant stuff, finished.

I'm still completely open to any suggestion or just picking out my mistakes.

Response to Reviews:

_NewProphecy: _You are great, don't deny it.

_Child of the Night Wolves13:_ It was great, I love it, my friend went to see it for a second time, I'm sooo jealous.

_k()_: Thanks.

SO...

READ AND REVIEW!

REVIEW!


	17. Alventine, Meet Sirius Black

A/N: Thanks for the reviews, and the alerts, and the favorites. Cute little Norberts for everyone!

(Sorry, I have no idea how this dragon obsession started...)

Thanks to my beta, NewProphecy!

_italics are familiar speech _Easy to remember. Most of the time, it's thoughts, but Sinetis likes to hiss out loud, so Harry could hear too.

Chapter 14

Meeting Sirius Black and Chirstmas

Dumbledore breathed a sigh of relief when the two had left his office.

Sirius was much more rebellious than he had anticipated after all. The man had raised his wand to threaten Dumbledore, and Harry had stopped him, asking Dumbledore in a formal, polite way to continue. Sirius had bargained with Dumbledore until it was made sure that Harry only had to stay at the Dursleys for a week.

~A~

Sirius Black was planning about his new life when Harry suddenly ran forward, leaving him trailing behind.

"Alventine! You're finally out of the Hospital Wing!" he said. Sirius frowned. The girl absolutely screamed Slytherin, dressed completely in dark green with a blue snake curled around her throat. She walked with a slightly aristocrat air, which, Sirius was annoyed to find, Harry also had.

Sirius had to shove down his protectiveness at seeing a Slytherin near his godson. Harry was beaming as he led the girl to him.

"Sirius, this is Alventine..."

Sirius recognized her from her visit to Azkaban – she was the reason they had to cut their meeting short because she had fainted during the encounter.

"I know," Sirius said, pulling up a fake smile onto his face. Harry didn't notice the tension between the two person he thought should get together wonderfully.

Harry excused himself briefly with the same formal excuse purebloods used, Sirius thought sourly.

Sirius turned back to the young girl still standing there. He waited until Harry was out of earshot before kneeling down to look properly at Alventine. Her dark blue eyes unnerved Sirius, as if she knew more than she cared to talk about.

"You stay away from my godson," he warned her threateningly. Alventine looked at him with cold and calculating eyes. Sirius knew why Harry was drawn to her – she radiated the enticing dark allure, the aura of his disgusting Dark family. She was Dark, but unlike the Dark his mother had radiated, it was intoxicating, and it drew people to her, wanting to please her. Sirius shook his head to clear his mind.

There was also the fact that she would be quite pretty when she grew up. She glanced at him in the way Narcissa used to do, eyes filled with curiosity, but none of the happiness and childish like laugh she had given Harry.

"Harry's my friend. I won't abandon him." Her voice rang with fierce loyalty Sirius didn't think a Slytherin could possess, and yet her expression was cold. "In Slytherin, we make real friends. True friends never betray each other," She said, and walked away without a backward glance – leaving Sirius Black standing in the corridor, alone, careful to keep her mask up.

~A~

Sirius had found a Malfoy, who the Slytherin girl had addressed as Draco, talking to Harry. Harry seemed to be really friendly with the Malfoy heir. The Slytherin girl (Sirius had yet to find out her last name so he could curse it) was talking with a bushy haired girl who was talking very fast.

"You're so dead, Harry. You haven't practiced at all," the bushy haired girl said.

"Hermione, I was busy. I'm sorry I blew off our study session, I completely forgot. Would you please accept my apology?"" Harry pleaded.

"You have to kneel, Harry, unless you want to be shut in a girl's bathroom again," the Slytherin witch whispered in a snicker.

Harry knelt and the two Slytherins grinned at each other.

"Flower." Draco added. Harry produced a single blue flower to present to Hermione, the bushy-haired girl.

"As a symbol of your intelligence, worthy of Ravenclaw, your loyalty, worthy of Hufflepuff, your braveness, comparitive to Gryffindor, I present this flower to you. On my words as the Child of Gryffindor," he said solemnly. Hermione hesitated, but nodded, struggling to keep her face straight.

The Slytherin girl clapped and giggled, "That was nice, but you forgot Slytherin! How can you forget us?"

She pouted, her eyes twinkling impishly, and Harry awkwardly sat next to her.

"Well, Hermione is just a Gryffindor through and through. It's just hard to – well, you know," he said. The Slytherin girl looked very cute when she smiled, and Harry seem relieved that she was just having fun as she look at her watch.

"Night, Draco, Hermione," she said. a tapestry of a unicorn appeared on the wall, and Sirius blinked as the two of them stepped through it.

~A~

When Harry woke up to his wonderful room, he was surprised to see the heavy snow had stopped.

Groaning at the formal robes of Gryffindor he had to be wearing, again, Harry picked the fluffy white Aris up and walked to the Heir Common Room.

Harry could see all sorts of colorfully wrapped gifts under the Christmas tree. Draco and Alventine had taught Hermione and Harry to decorate. He smiled, it was his first Christmas away from the Dursleys.

Alventine came out of her room, dressed similarly to Harry (but in green rather than a dark maroon).

"Merry Christmas," she said, sitting near the Christmas tree.

Without any warning, Draco and Hermione both stumbled into the Heir Common Room in their pajamas. Harry grinned at their sleepy looks.

"Come on, you three, we should open our presents. if you're going back to sleep, I'll just have to take yours." Alventine said, patting the carpet near the tree. Draco had already dived in to his own present pile. Hermione was gasping as she unwrapped her own presents.

"Harry, are you coming or not?" Draco asked. "You've got a lot," he added wistfully.

Harry sat mechanically next to Draco, stunned at his own present pile. "I have presents?" he asked doubtfully. Aris stretched herself and proceed to pull one of them to her, attacking at it with her claws. The tag clearly said, 'Harry Potter'.

He got a small model of a Quidditch Pitch from Draco, a Broom Servicing Kit from Alventine, an assortment of Muggle Sugar-free candies from Hermione, and a roughly cut wooden flute from Hagrid. It sounded like an owl when Harry blew it. But there were more. A fifty-pence from the Dursleys, which Draco scoffed at before Hermione began to insult the Dursleys in a very creative way.

Apparently, some of the teachers had also given him presents (most of them were books as a suggestion for him to study more often – some books were more blunt suggestions, such as _Accidental Magic – learn to Control your Emotions_)

But there was one anonymous parcel, which was very light.

Harry took it aside and ripped it open, peering at what was inside. As he tried to pick it up, something silvery gray fell on to the thick carpet. Harry looked over at his friends, who were peering at his gift as well. Both Alventine and Draco gasped. Draco turned away from his expensive pile of elaborate gifts to examine Harry's present.

"It's an Invisibility Cloak!" Draco exclaimed, a look of awe on his face. "My father promised one to me when I come of age. they're really rare, and quite valuable." Harry picked up the shining material. it felt strange, like water, woven into material.

"It's silver," Harry said, but tried it on. Hermione urged him to look down.

His head suspended in midair, he pulled the cloak over his head, and heard the three murmuring in surprise. Harry grinned under his cloak and silently snuck to Alventine's side, blowing on her bare neck.

"Harry!" Alventine gasped. She reached out to grab him, but pulled onto Harry's cloak instead. Harry stumbled on his fallen cloak and crashed into the pile of wrappings. Colorful wrappings dotted his whole torso, Alventine whipped out her wand to cast a sticking charm.

"No!" Harry yelled as he felt the ribbons, wrapping paper stick to his robes. Alventine, Draco, and Hermione laughed.

Aris laughed and turned to mimic Harry's state of dress, more colorful than a rainbow.

"_Shut up." _Harry thought. Aris grinned her famous Cheshire Cat smile, turning pink.

"There's a note." Draco pointed out, catching the letter that had fallen out. He read it aloud for Hermione, Alventine, and Harry to hear.

_You father left this in my possession before he died. It is time it was returned to you. _

_Use it well. _

_A Very Merry Christmas to you._

There was no signature. Harry stared at the note, wondering who it was from.

"That's definitely not from Sirius," he said. Sirius and Remus had given him a piece of parchment, with a note saying Harry had yet to enjoy the Marauder's Map. he knew from the portraits, eager on telling the Gryffindor Heir his parents exploits, that his father was Prongs, one of the Marauders.

_For Prongslet,_

_We present to you the Marauder's Map – specialized edition._

_Tap three times and say, _

"_I solemnly swear I'm up to no good."_

_The instructions will reveal themselves. _

_To hide it, _

_Tap twice and say_

'_Mischief Managed.'_

Hermione hugged Harry suddenly.

"Thank you Harry! I'll have to ask Mum and Dad if I can though."

"What?" Harry asked, distracted as he stowed the note in one of his hidden pockets.

"Look!" Hermione said, waving a letter in Harry's face.

Harry read it quickly. Basically, it said that Sirius wanted to meet what Harry had said was the cleverest witch in their year, and he wanted to invite her to Black Manor along with Harry. He had also owled Hermione's parents for their permission ahead of time.

~A~

Harry had never had such a Christmas dinner. He was happy that he had his own portion of everything – there were just too many things to enjoy. It was a great change from the usual strict diet they had as Heirs.

Harry enjoyed tasting different drinks, and there was even one alcoholic drink he was allowed to drink. One especially created for the Heirs to learn how to drink anything alcoholic. He now knew why it was so hard to keep one's composure when one was drunk.

Harry was wondering just what the Hogwarts Founders didn't know as he ate through his meal, pulling crackers with Draco now and then. The crackers were nothing like their Muggle counterparts. He had gotten balloons, a new wizard chess set, and a dozen white mice which Aris finished before they had even gotten free. She was full and very sleepy by now, choosing to settle into a dark chocolate colored coat as she curled on Harry's lap.

Remus was wary of drinking any wine since Alventine had drugged him last time, but the whole staff was slightly tipsy when they left the table. With the exception of Julius and Snape, both who looked perfectly normal.

Harry put Aris beside him, taking off the complicated robes as he walked into his warm dark room. Full of food he normally couldn't have, Harry pulled up his warm covers, smiling as he sank into happy dreams.

All in all, it was the best Christmas Harry ever had.

A/N: Short chapter. Review, guys, suggestions, anyone?

What do you guys think about Sirius' reaction to Alventine?

Okay, even if you don't want to give me any suggestions (pout), REVIEW!


	18. Author Note 5

Author Note:

I am extremely sorry, I truly am. But my national high school entrance exams are coming up, and it's a one chance only exam.

This exams determines my future, and as much as I love this story, I can't give that up.

I'm not abandoning this story, (I've got everything plot out!), but I can't afford to update regularly, not anymore, not with this looming over my head.

I know you guys must hate me for this, but I really hope to do well in these exams.

It's actually an exam next year, in the end of May, but it's too crucial to be taken lightly. So, this story is on a year and a half semi-Hiatus, with random updates.

If you are still interested in this story, I humbly suggest that you add this to your alerts, and don't think about this story until I update. I promise to reply to all the questions in reviews, but that's all I'm promising. (No, I'm not revealing the whole plot. :))

A googolplex apologies to anyone who's still interested in this story. Please forgive me.


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